CGM Open Enables Browsers to Use Web Graphics Standards.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 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.