Chromeffects Explained

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]

External links

• Web site: Microsoft Announces Chromeffects Software Development Kit. Press release for Chromeffects. 2014-07-04. 2014-07-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20140704113136/https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/1998/jul98/chromepr.aspx. live. Microsoft.

Notes and References

1. News: Microsoft debuts Chromeffects . 1998-07-21 . 2014-07-04 . Weston . Randy . . dead . 2014-07-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714172346/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-213566.html . .
2. Web site: Roughly Drafted. Inside iTunes: Part III - Microsoft: We hate your baby, please kill it. Elan. Daniel. 2004-02-02. live. 2014-04-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20140410202046/http://www.roughlydrafted.com/insideitunes3.html. 2014-07-04.
3. Web site: PC Advisor. Google's Chrome has no chance of success. Fact!. Jary. Simon. 2008-09-02. IDG. 2014-07-04. live. 2014-07-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20140704113750/http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/opinion/internet/3270528/googles-chrome-has-no-chance-of-success-fact/.
4. MacWEEK. Ziff Davis. 0892-8118. August 1998.
5. News: Microsoft's Chromeffects coming out after all. 1998-12-03. 2014-07-04. Festa. Paul. CNET News. live. 2014-07-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20140704111020/http://news.cnet.com/Microsofts-Chromeffects-coming-out-after-all/2100-1023_3-218655.html. CBS Interactive.
6. News: The Register. Smith. Tony. 1998-11-13. Microsoft moves Chromeffects onto back-burner. https://web.archive.org/web/20140704111020/http://news.cnet.com/Microsofts-Chromeffects-coming-out-after-all/2100-1023_3-218655.html. 2014-07-04. live. 2014-07-03.
7. News: Microsoft shelves Chromeffects . 1998-11-12 . 2014-07-04 . Festa . Paul . CNET News . dead . 2014-07-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714163554/http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-shelves-Chromeffects/2100-1023_3-217885.html . CBS Interactive .