Microsoft announced Chromeffects as an add-on for Windows 98 to play 3D graphics and video through a web browser or in separate player software, for ads with flashing text and other animation, or to generate user interface enhancements for Web-based applications.[1]
Chromeffects promised to deliver complex multimedia over low-bandwidth connections. Using HTML, XML, C++, VBScript, and Jscript, developers would turn a web browser into a rippling, 3D space with audio and video playback. Later versions of Chromeffects were planned to have the ability to be used for representing databases in 3D.[2][3]
A MacWeek article from August 1998 quoted David Card, an analyst at Jupiter Communications as saying, "Chromeffects is cool software, and it's not often I say Microsoft has cool software. Apple doesn't have anything comparable".[2][3][4]
Chromeffects had problems with its business model, it was not intended to be a freely distributed technology, rather OEM PC manufacturers or other commercial entities would license the technology to provide to their customers as an IE add-on. However, despite a hard marketing push in mid-1998, OEM interests never materialized and Microsoft canceled the project as part of a major internal reorganization in November 1998.[5][6] The different components of Chromeffects were separated and integrated into other Microsoft products, such as DirectAnimation in Internet Explorer.[7]
The Microsoft Liquid Motion technology used Chromeffects "under the hood".
A similar newer modern initiative by Microsoft is Silverlight.[3]
References
edit- ^ Weston, Randy (1998-07-21). "Microsoft debuts Chromeffects". CNET News. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
- ^ a b Elan, Daniel (2004-02-02). "Inside iTunes: Part III - Microsoft: We hate your baby, please kill it". Roughly Drafted. Archived from the original on 2014-04-10. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
- ^ a b c Jary, Simon (2008-09-02). "Google's Chrome has no chance of success. Fact!". PC Advisor. IDG. Archived from the original on 2014-07-04. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
- ^ MacWEEK. Ziff Davis. August 1998. ISSN 0892-8118.
{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Festa, Paul (1998-12-03). "Microsoft's Chromeffects coming out after all". CNET News. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2014-07-04. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
- ^ Smith, Tony (1998-11-13). "Microsoft moves Chromeffects onto back-burner". The Register. Archived from the original on 2014-07-04. Retrieved 2014-07-03.
- ^ Festa, Paul (1998-11-12). "Microsoft shelves Chromeffects". CNET News. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-04.
External links
edit- "Microsoft Announces Chromeffects Software Development Kit" (Press release for Chromeffects). Microsoft. Archived from the original on 2014-07-04. Retrieved 2014-07-04.