Painting the Web

VML

Vector graphics are dynamic in nature, which means they exist as text, instructions, and object definitions until an appropriate application interprets the instructions and objects and generates a viewable graphic. In the case of the markup, the graphics are defined via XML rather than through some programmed entity, though the end result is the same—pretty pictures.

The release of the first XML specification in 1998 spurred interest in its use to define vector graphics. Only problem was, different groups had different ideas of what would make the "perfect" vector graphics markup language.

Figure 6-4. Playing Rubik's Cube at the Media Machines site using the Flux plug-in in Firefox

ora: The OS Effect

The 3D specifications demonstrate another aspect of web graphics that really has nothing to do with the Web: the impact of the underlying graphics support systems within the different operating systems.

It's simpler to create a plug-in that will support three-dimensional effects working with IE and Firefox in Windows than it is to create a Firefox-only plug-in doing the same that works with Windows and the Mac, or even Windows, the Mac, and Linux. We touched on this in Chapter 2 when looking at the impact of operating systems on graphics. As we can see, the impact goes beyond just the rasters.

That's why it's important to not only configure which browser is being used but also on which ...