Microsoft Art Gallery

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Microsoft Art Gallery is a 1993 educational and interactive guide for the London National Gallery published by Microsoft.

Production[edit]

The software was originally developed by Cognitive Applications in the UK in 1991 as a multimedia learning tool for use in Britain's National Gallery.[1] Originally called "Micro Gallery", Microsoft released a digitised version entitled Microsoft Art Gallery.[2] The software went on sale in Britain in October 1993, and was released in Australia later that year.[3]

Content[edit]

The title allows players to explore various works of art in an interactive and multimedia way. It features the work of the national Gallery of London.[4] The title contains schema links, allowing the player to explore related content in a seamless way.[5]

Critical reception[edit]

PC Mag thought the software was "stylishly designed and carefully presented",[6] further praising its elegant and easily navigable interface.[7] When comparing art titles, The New York Times felt the title would appeal to those with "more Catholic taste",[8] and praised its "authoritative professionalism" as standing out from other titles in the genre.[2] The paper Hypermedia Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Issues deemed the title an "outstanding" and "enjoyable" application.[5] Art historian James Moore who reviewed the CD-ROM late in 2001 felt the software was primitive from a 2001 perspective.[9] PC World thought that lovers of art would be able to easily sink hours into the title.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Bill's Bounty: A Digital Art Gallery". Wired. April 1994.
  2. ^ a b Sharratt, Bernard (1994-03-06). "Please Touch the Paintings". The New York Times.
  3. ^ "The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales on October 18, 1993 · Page 38".
  4. ^ Corporation, Bonnier (1 August 1994). "Popular Science". Bonnier Corporation – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b Garzotto, Franca; Mainetti, Luca; Paolini, Paolo (1998). "Hypermedia, Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Issues". Communications of the ACM. 38 (8): 74–86. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.36.5049. doi:10.1145/208344.208349. S2CID 1947554.
  6. ^ Inc, Ziff Davis (28 March 1995). "PC Mag". Ziff Davis, Inc. – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ Inc, Ziff Davis (13 September 1994). "PC Mag". Ziff Davis, Inc. – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ Shannon, L. R. (November 22, 1994). "Screen Savers As Art, or Vice Versa". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "Building Computerized Cathedrals for Learning". 17 May 2001.
  10. ^ Yraolagoitia., Jaime de. "Art Gallery".