In stab at Microsoft's ActiveX plug-in technology, vendors join to develop browser plug-in that is more open, scriptable.
Apple, Adobe, the Mozilla Foundation, Macromedia, Sun and Opera announced
they are joining forces to build an open, more extensible set of browser plug-in
application program interfaces (API).
The group aims to extend the Netscape Plug-in Application Program in an
effort to enable greater interactivity with the participating vendors' plug-in
technologies, such as Flash, Shockwave, QuickTime and Java.
"Plug-ins are a critical component of the Web experience and require
ongoing enhancements and improvements in the way they integrate with world-class
browsers," said Mitchell Baker, president of the Mozilla Foundation. He added a
thinly veiled attack on Microsoft’s ActiveX, saying, "Without these
improvements, enhanced interactivity could remain tied to a single, proprietary
browser solution, which reduces choice and leads to monoculture on the Web.
"This initiative will significantly improve the Web experience for users
of Firefox, the Mozilla 1.X Internet suite, Safari and Opera browsers and will
ultimately benefit the overall health of the Web," continued Baker.
The new
cross-browser API is expected to appear in Linux, Windows, and MacOS browsers
this fall.
Web Design 
