The W3C has published two new Recommendations: the long-awaited Scalable Vector Graphics
1.0 (SVG), and SMIL
Animation.
SVG, an XML application for the representation of vector images, and has
found early favor and deployment with software vendor Adobe. Adobe's Jon
Ferraiolo served as editor of the specification. As well as in standalone
scenarios, SVG has been used in combination with XSL-FO as a page layout
technology. Some of its strongest opportunities are in cross-device display:
SVG's scalability allowing for use on devices from high-resolution printers
to tiny cell phone screens.
SMIL
Animation is a SMIL 2.0 subset
specifying animation functionality for XML documents. It is intended for use
embedded in other languages such as XHTML or CSS to provide animation.
With XHTML 1.0, SVG 1.0 and SMIL 2.0 as Recommendations, and XForms in
active development, the prospects for open-standards based rich multimedia
and user interfaces on the Web look good. Subject, of course, to vendor
implementation.