Mozilla and Google back 3D web

Posted on 26 Mar 2009 at 14:12

Mozilla and Google have pledged their support for a project to bring 3D graphics to the web. The two companies have thrown their backing behind an initiative to create an open, royalty-free standard for bringing accelerated 3D graphics to web browsers.

By establishing an open set of application programming interfaces (APIs) - sets of commands that software developers use - internet users will be able to visit websites and use online applications that use dynamic 3D content.

"We've been experimenting with bringing 3D capabilities to the web for some time now," said Mozilla engineer Vladimir Vukicevic. "For a number of reasons, I think now is the time to bring this out into a wider audience, and to figure out what an initial take of 3D on the web should look like.

Google agreed that the time is right to introduce a single plugin that will allow consumers to view 3D content, regardless of the browser they use.

"With more and more content moving to the web and JavaScript getting faster every day, the time is right to create an open, general purpose API for accelerated 3D graphics on the web," said Matt Papakipos, engineering director at Google.

The project will be co-ordinated by open-standards industry consortium the Khronos Group. The group's president, Neil Trevett, is now calling for other software developers to take part in the project.

Author: Dawinderpal Sahota

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