Will vector graphics finally make it on the Web?

Multimedia technology is an increasingly important part of the Web. Because of this, multimedia vendors are always looking for a competitive edge, as well as a better way to present content. And now, these vendors are looking closely at an important technology: scalable vector graphics (SVG). Currently, the Web mainly runs on bitmap-image formats like GIF (graphics interchange format), PNG (portable network graphics), and JPEG (designed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group). However, bitmap files can run large, even with data compression, and don't scale well. Vector-graphic formats don't experience these problems but never caught on because the technology consists of incompatible proprietary standards. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), though, may have eliminated this concern recently when it released an open SVG standard with broad industry support.