FAQ

Here are some of the frequently asked questions (FAQ) archived by topic. If you would like additional information or have a question that is not addressed here, please feel free to email us.

General Information | Greenstone | Metadata | Gamera | Color Management System

General Information

1. Who will benefit from the results of the MAPP?

The methodology and software developed for this project will be available to other libraries and archives,which will promote similar digitization projects. It is possible that using the equipment and knowledge acquired for this project, McGill can offer services to other collections that need digitization. Furthermore, a web site like this and others will benefit both scholars and music aficionados easy access to recordings that are becoming increasingly inaccessible.

2. What will be the resulting web site of the MAPP?

The resulting web site will contain integrated database with searchable full-text, images of album covers and record labels, and audio files of phonograph recordings. The web site will be the first of its kind in the world.

3. How much music will be digitized?

Approximately 400 hours of music on 78rpm records and 500 LP recordings from David Edelberg´s Handel collection.

Greenstone

1. What is the most current version of Greenstone available for download?

Greenstone v2.40a has now been released. Go to the download page.

2. What platforms will Greenstone run on?

Greenstone has been tested on Windows 3.1/3.11/95/98/Me/NT/2000, most distributions of GNU/Linux, Darwin (Mac OS X), Solaris, and FreeBSD. It should in fact work on any Windows or Unix system.

Metadata

1. What is metadata?

A short definition of metadata is "structured data about data." Metadata is descriptive information about an object or resource whether it is physical or electronic.

2. Why is metadata important?

Metadata is important because it increases accessibility. Rich consistent metadata makes it possible to search across multiple collections, which enhances the effectiveness of searching. Well-structured metadata not only can facilitate new ways to search for information, it can also present results, and even manipulate information objects without compromising their integrity. Moreover, metadata plays a critical role to ensure the retention of context, authenticity, and structural integrity of information objects.

3. Why is the metadata standard so hard?

The standard is designed to describe all possible data of audio records.

Gamera

1. Where is Gamera being used?

Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music is one of the collections for which Gamera is being actively used.

Color Management System

1. What is a Color Management System (CMS)?

A color management system is a system of hardware and software products. Together they ensure accurate color reproduction across all devices being used.

The hardware components include the monitor, scanner, printer, for example. The software components include device profile (descriptions of how a specific device reproduces color), applications used to create profile (e.g. MonacoEZcolor), and applications that use profiles (e.g. Adobe Photoshop).

2. Why do we need to have a CMS?

Having a CMS is important because each device reproduces color differently. To be more specific, scanner, monitors, and printers user different color spaces. Most scanner and monitors use RGB (red, green, and blue) color spaces; while output devices can be either RGB or CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) devices.

A CMS thus is used to take care of the variability in the way devices reproduce color in a workflow.

3. How does CMS work?

The main software components in a CMS are the device profiles and a Color Management Module (CMM).

Device profiles are software modules that provide a description of each device's color range reproducible (or color gamut). The CMM is a software module that acts as a central interpreter between the color gamuts of the different devices.

The color gamut for each device is stored in the corresponding profile. The CMM compares them and makes the appropriate adjustments to ensure that color is interpreted as accurately as possible across all devices in a workflow.

4. What is EZcolor?

Monaco Ezcolor is a software that creates device profiles. However, it is not a color management system nor does it apply the profiles.

5. What is profiling a monitor or a scanner?

Profiling a monitor is the process of calibrating the monitor, describing or characterizing its ability to display color accurately. There are two ways to do this: visually, using software such as MonacoEzcolor alone; or automatically, using software and a colorimeter (a color sensor).

Similarly, profiling a scanner is the process of describing or characterizing a scanner's ability to scan color accurately. This is done by scanning an industry-standard IT8 target and using CMS software such as SilverFast to measure and compare the target?s scanned color values to known color values for the target.

The known color values are contained in a reference file usually supplied with the target. The final result of a scanner profile is created by computing the difference between measured values of the scanner and the known reference values.

6. How many profiles are needed?

In general, each device requires one profile. However, some devices such as a scanner, may require several profiles. Below are some general guidelines:

Create a new profile for a scanner whenever Create a new profile for a monitor whenever Create a new profile for output devices whenever


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