Abstractions for continuous media in a network window system

ACME is a set of abstractions for the input and output of "continuous media" (audio and video) by a network window system. In ACME continuous media (CM) data is handled by user-level software in both the client and server, and is conveyed on network connections. The ACME design has the goals of network transparency, device independence, support for concurrency, and management policy independence. The ACME abstractions include strands (streams of audio or video data), ropes (combinations of several strands), logical time systems (reference frames in which several strands or ropes can be played synchronously), and logical devices (representing microphones, speakers, video cameras, and video windows).