Existing multimedia document models like HTML, MHEG, SMIL, and HyTime lack appropriate modeling primitives that meet specific requirements given by advanced multimedia information system applications. In traditional multimedia applications, multimedia document models just had to cope with the modeling of the temporal, spatial, and interactive course of a multimedia presentation. However, we seriously question whether existing models fit the needs of next generation multimedia applications that bring up requirements like reusability of multimedia content in different presentations and contexts, and adaptation to user preferences. In this paper, we motivate and present new requirements stemming from advanced multimedia applications and the resulting consequences for multimedia document models. Along these requirements, we discuss HTML, HyTime, MHEG, SMIL, and ZYX, a new model that has been developed with special focus on reusability and adaptation. The analysis and comparison of the models show the limitations of existing models, point the way to the need for new flexible multimedia document models, and throw light on the many implications on authoring systems, multimedia content management, and presentation.

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