A Preliminary Definition of “Mash-Up”
This has yet to be added to by my study buddy, but it’s a start:
A mash-up (sometimes called a web application hybrid) is an application that combines data, content, functionality, presentation, and/or other features and services from at least two different sources in order to produce a new creation. The mash-up may or may not serve the original purpose(s) of its source materials. Peter Evans-Greenwood has proposed a new definition for the term:
A mash-up is a user interface, or user interface element, that melds data and function from multiple sources to create one single, seamless view of a topic, eliminating unnecessary decisions and actions.
Less formally, “mash-up” is often used interchangeably with the term “remix” to describe the combination of two or more songs to make a new composition, such as DJ Sandstorm’s mash-up of Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” with Christina Aguilera’s remake of “Carwash,” or a “music video” created by combining the visuals from one source with music from another (such as Cake’s remake of “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” laid over footage from the original “Star Trek” series). These types of mash-ups are almost always unauthorized, using the source material without the permission of its original creators, and are generally created for entertainment purposes.
Sources consulted: Dean Giustini’s Social Media Glossary, Peter Evans-Greenwood’s website, YouTube, Wikipedia.