CGM Open Enables Browsers to Use Web Graphics Standards

Boston, MA USA. January 3, 2001.

CGM Open, the OASIS-affiliated globalconsortium dedicated to standardized graphical information exchange,announced the release of a Browser Helper Object (BHO) that enables browserssuch as Microsoft Internet Explorer to effectively use the WebCGM Webgraphics standard. Designed in collaboration with Microsoft, the CGM OpenBHO is an add-on software component that allows object-to-object linking ofgraphics in Web content.

"Microsoft is pleased to have supported CGM Open in its effort to deliversupport for W3C recommendations to the Web community" explained PabloFernicola, Lead Program Manager for Internet Explorer, MicrosoftCorporation. "The CGM Open BHO solution leverages the services provided bythe Internet Explorer platform to enable object-level addressing and linkingin graphics content."

"Object-to-object linking is critical to the useful integration of graphicson the Web," explained Lofton Henderson, Program Director of CGM Open. TheBHO is a prime example of the contributions CGM Open provides for theInternet community. The Consortium's role as a vendor-neutral resource makesthis accomplishment possible. No single Web graphics provider could havedeveloped this solution alone."

CGM Open provides the Browser Helper Object as a public service to thecommunity. Implementers may find more information and may requestdistribution of the BHO athttp://www.cgmopen.org.

Although the CGM Open BHO was designed specifically for WebCGM access, thesolution can also be adapted for SVG, the Scalable Vector Graphics format,currently under development by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).According to Henderson, "CGM Open considers WebCGM and SVG as complementarystandards optimized for solving different Web vector graphics requirements.We trust that the CGM Open BHO can be leveraged by the SVG community tofacilitate successful SVG products."

About WebCGM

WebCGM is an application of the ISO-standard Computer Graphics Metafile forelectronic documents. WebCGM was developed by CGM Open, in collaborationwith the W3C, with support from the European Commission Esprit project. An"intelligent graphics" profile, WebCGM includes both graphical andnon-graphical content, allowing object hierarchies, link specifications andlayer definitions.

About CGM Open

CGM Open is an international organization of vendors and users dedicated toopen and interoperable standards for the exchange of graphical information.CGM Open is an affiliate member of OASIS, the XML interoperabilityconsortium. The work of CGM Open complements that of standards bodies,focusing on making Web graphics standards easy to adopt and practical to usein real world, open systems applications.

For more information:

Carol Geyer
Director of Communications
OASIS
Email:carol.geyer@oasis-open.org
Voice: +1.941.926.2322

Prepared by Robin Cover forThe XML Cover Pages archive.