RIP Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG).
Deprecated equals don’t use it. The momentum in the web-world has slowed to grinding halt.
Whilst SVG is a W3C technology, not owned by Adobe, the original specification came from PGML.
Sad, there was much potential for SVG. All it would have taken was Adobe to make a standard programming model and builder application and SVG really could have taken off. SVG is an example of good technology becoming cannon fodder, lost in the charge to an enemy: rather than technology being used for good.
Today, we have two XML-based model for generating rich interfaces: MXML and XAML. One is in the operating system and a part of a download, the other requires a bolt-on application in the browser.
SVG pre-dated these technologies by some years. A standardised widget library; extension into 3D and co-operation by large companies could have advanced the world of rich, connected applications.
Standard file formats invite competitiveness in software applications. Consider open, standardised file formats like world-free trade. The most efficient and best survive. A darwinian selection for the best.
Better luck next time.
I think you’re mistaken about Adobe’s announcement. Adobe said that they will discontinue support for their SVG Viewer plug-in starting January 2007 and cease distribution in January 2008. Even though the Adobe SVG Viewer was the first significant browser plug-in for rendering SVG content, it has now become aged in the light of native browser support in the likes of Mozilla browsers (Firefox and Camino), Opera and upcoming versions of WebKit-based browsers (Safari, OmniWeb). The missing piece of course is Internet Explorer, but Microsoft have been dropping strong hints throughout the community that they will provide native support of SVG too.
So, there is absoutely no deprecation of SVG. SVG is a W3C standard, it was never the property of Adobe and will never be the sole property of any corporation. If anything, the momentum around SVG has grown since native browser support is upon us.
Regards,
Antoine
My great bleeding question was “why isn’t it supported in browsers?”. If MSIE supported it natively (no plug-in required) then I would have jumped at the chance to have crisp vector graphics on a web page.
Yes you can do it with Flash, but it’s a barren wasteland as far as search engines are concerned.
Just one of those things I never understood as to why (not).
Andrew
My point is that SVG was a missed opportunity by Adobe to “do something special” with graphics. I love the technology.
I don’t disagree that it’s a good thing that SVG is a W3C standard; nor that the W3C has deprecated the standard.
My lament is that Adobe has deprecated the standard.
Now Adobe (nor Adobe + Macromedia) is the be-all-and-end-all of graphics in the browser; just that strong support from either company with some smart applications could have moved the standard on as far as development and “richness” much quicker.
Where are the builders? Where are the multitude of developers? Where is the many online examples? Where is AJAX+SVG momentum? Where is SVG in IE7?
SVG has retreated into a corner of the world; isolated having missed is potential place in the world.
Native browser support on 90+% of the world’s browsers would be cool.
Nick
Andrew
I agree on your comments on Flash. Give me XML where you can choose your backend engines to do cool stuff.
SVG could have replicated PDF.
SVG gunna, coulda, woulda and shoulda.
Missed opportunity.
Nick