CD-ROM provides rich, inexpensive and pervasive data capacity, while online connection offers dynamic data and contemporaneous interaction. Increasingly, CD-ROM is not the simple stand-alone data storage and publishing format it was even just a year ago, but part of a connected media experience. Large organizations are adopting CD/Intranet approaches and consumer publishers, from the great New York trade houses to garage developers of quirky titles, are rushing to plug in. 1996 saw an explosion of CD-ROM titles tied to commercial online services and the Internet; 1997 is projected to deliver five times the number of CD/online hybrid titles over the previous year. Why? Data updating, searching, ordering and the benefits of common browser interfaces, to name a few of the factors driving the phenomenal growth of the connected CD. Mr. Guenette is the Editor of EMedia Professional Magazine.

Workshop Title: Creating the CD/Online Hybrid: Who Dunnit and How To
Workshop Leader: Reed MacMillian, Splash Productions
Workshop Description: In this three-hour workshop, attendees will learn to plan the production of CD-ROM/online hybrid titles. To be discussed in detail are the possible goals of this publishing approach, such as extending the life of static content, delivering bandwidth (intensive data on CD) or providing a richer publishing strategy than either medium alone can offer. Examples of CD-ROM/online hybrid discs will provide the models for instruction. Using the "Mystery Novel" approach, with the instructor as chief detective and participants as private investigators, the workshop will examine the concepts of the connected CD for the first hour, followed by Q&A with the speakers. The speakers have been selected for their development of compelling applications, CD/online hybrid title development experience and their willingness to participate in an open forum where development tips and missteps are freely shared.

Session Title: CD/Online Hybrid Case Studies
Session Moderator: David R. Guenette
The connected CD is big, but what is it? The best way to figure this out is through example, example, example. The panel participants are the developers and publishers of CD/online hybrid titles. Their experiences, views and demonstrations will make CD-ROM/online hybrid titles come alive.

Session Title: The CD/Online Hybrid Cookbook
Session Moderator: Jan Ozer
If you are going to build a CD-ROM/online hybrid title, you'll need the right tools. The panel participants will include vendors of authoring software that provides support for CD/online hybrid development and developers using such products.

Session Title: The CD/Online Services
Session Moderator: Stephen Nathans
Need to create a CD/online hybrid title? This session presents an overview of some of the service companies that have the experience--and technology--to make connected CD, from the simple service bureau to suppliers of server and transaction support.

Session Title: From Web to Disc
Session Moderator: Stephen Nathans
This session presents an overview of the trend in off-line browsers tied to CD-ROM and/or premastering software. Participants will get a look at some of the tools that are designed to help title developers capture Web-based information onto CD-ROM and CD-Recordable, as well as demonstrations of some titles developed with these tools.

Session Title: CD/HTML/Intranet
Session Moderator: John Graves
This session will focus on the benefits of HTML as a common data format for D-ROM, through the tools and titles that illustrate the seamless integration of search, retrieval and use of a Web browsing program.

Session Title: Connected Data Discs
Session Moderator:
Not every connected CD is multimedia; sometimes CDs are just plain useful. This session looks at the data side of the equation, where the CD-ROM connection to up-to-the-minute databases or far-flung supplemental searches makes the disc immediate and a whole lot bigger than 650MB. The developers and publishers of text-and-database-intensive connected CDs, for business, research, archives and governmental agencies, demonstrate that the CD/online hybrids can get down to business.

Session Title: The Future of the Connected CD
Session Moderator: Richard Reisman
Is an HTML-formatted disc that allows browser retrieval and linking across the Web all there is to CD-ROM/online hybrids? Not at all. From huge organizations that publish mission-critical data daily on disc and over Intranets, to the possible future of entertainment, the disc-online connection holds surprising promise. This session looks at enterprise-wide implementations of connected CD, plus takes a years-ahead look at other connecting media, such as satellite feeds and Intercasts.