Technology Focus: Tutorial on SVG
Two years ago, you may have never heard about SVG, a new open-standard technology for rendering complex Web graphics and page layouts. But then again, five years ago, you may have never heard of PDF or Flash.
Why have technology giants such as Adobe already developed a suite of tools to support SVG? Why last September, did the World Wide Web Consortium recommend SVG as a stable and promising technology that merited further development? And why, just half a year later, has Ingenta moved so quickly to offer SVG content via catchword.com, an Ingenta company website?
Because many technology experts believe SVG will offer a viable open-standard alternative to PDF, Flash and other proprietary formats used to display graphically complex Web content.
WHAT IS SVG?
In layman’s terms, SVG (Scaleable Vector Graphics) is a language for describing 2D graphics, and is basically another alternative for viewing content on the Web. In some ways, its functionality overlaps that of PDF and Flash.
In technology-speak, SVG is an open-standard XML application for defining Web graphics and content. With SVG, your content can be rendered through a high-quality format that can be dynamically scaled to meet the needs of different output devices (for instance, high-resolution monitors and PDAs). SVG also supports interactivity through its ability to be manipulated via client side scripts.
For you, the librarian, and your patrons, SVG offers three key advantages.
SVG FEATURES (AND BENEFITS FOR YOU, YOUR INSTITUTION and YOUR PATRONS)
Firstly, because SVG is open-standard, content will no longer be locked into a proprietary format. With previous formats such as PDF and Flash, files were fixed in a format controlled by other companies. Now the formats are regulated by an open-standards organization. This means increased control over content delivered to your institution and your patrons, and more flexibility in the way you can receive and present it.
Secondly, because SVG allows publishers to scale graphics, the quality of images will always be consistent. With SVG, content can be repurposed for all kinds of platforms and still look good — whether it’s on a PDA or a super high-resolution monitor. This means that one day, if your patrons demand their content to be offered in the hot format of the moment, Ingenta will be able to offer this technology.
Lastly, SVG allows for rich interactive graphics and tools, for a superior user experience. With SVG, publishers can create sophisticated user interfaces that allow researchers to blow out diagrams online… drill down into charts for more detailed data… or instantly link into an online tutorial.
ON THE TECHNICAL HORIZON
SVG is still emerging as a globally accepted format. But things move fast in the world of technology. As a leading provider of cutting edge online research, Ingenta is always on the lookout for the best ways to deliver content to your patrons. By offering content in SVG, we are ensuring that research is available on the most open, effective, and scaleable platform available today.
For more information on SVG, please visit “SVG Zone,” a special educational microsite developed by Adobe: http://www.adobe.com/svg/
Or you can email Peter Arbuthnott, Ingenta’s Director of Development, at peter.arbuthnott@ingenta.com.