CGM Open Enables Browsers to Use Web Graphics Standards

[Carol Geyer <carol.geyer@oasis-open.org>]

CGM Open Enables Browsers to Use Web Graphics Standards

Boston, MA USA; January 3, 2001 -- CGM Open, the OASIS-affiliated global
consortium dedicated to standardized graphical information exchange,
announced the release of a Browser Helper Object (BHO) that enables browsers
such as Microsoft Internet Explorer to effectively use the WebCGM Web
graphics standard. . Designed in collaboration with Microsoft, the CGM Open
BHO is an add-on software component that allows object-to-object linking of
graphics in Web content.

"Microsoft is pleased to have supported CGM Open in its effort to deliver
support for W3C recommendations to the Web community" explained Pablo
Fernicola, Lead Program Manager for Internet Explorer, Microsoft
Corporation. "The CGM Open BHO solution leverages the services provided by
the Internet Explorer platform to enable object-level addressing and linking
in graphics content."

“Object-to-object linking is critical to the useful integration of graphics
on the Web,” explained Lofton Henderson, Program Director of CGM Open. The
BHO is a prime example of the contributions CGM Open provides for the
Internet community. The Consortium’s role as a vendor-neutral resource makes
this accomplishment possible. No single Web graphics provider could have
developed this solution alone.”

CGM Open provides the Browser Helper Object as a public service to the
community. Implementers may find more information and may request
distribution of the BHO at http://www.cgmopen.org.

Although the CGM Open BHO was designed specifically for WebCGM access, the
solution 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 complementary
standards optimized for solving different Web vector graphics requirements.
We trust that the CGM Open BHO can be leveraged by the SVG community to
facilitate successful SVG products."


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

About CGM Open
CGM Open is an international organization of vendors and users dedicated to
open and interoperable standards for the exchange of graphical information.
CGM Open is an affiliate member of OASIS, the XML interoperability
consortium. The work of CGM Open complements that of standards bodies,
focusing on making Web graphics standards easy to adopt and practical to use
in 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