xmlhack: SVG drafts push forward

The W3C has released new Working Drafts of Mobile SVG Profiles: SVG Tiny and SVG Basic and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) Version 1.1.

The W3C continues to push past SVG 1.0, creating a modularized version of SVG and applying that modularization to the creation of two much smaller versions of SVG. SVG 1.1 doesn't actually provide much in the way of new features:

"The definition and description of all features can be found in the SVG 1.0 [SVG 1.0] specification, although there are a number areas where future drafts of this specification will include new language features. These areas are noted but not defined at present. Unless explicitly noted, the element definitions have not changed from SVG 1.0 to SVG 1.1. The primary goal is to draft a modularization of the SVG language which can be used to build profiles of SVG, such as SVG Mobile."

A W3C XML Schema of the modules is available, and an XML 1.0 DTD will appear with the next draft. A list of changes is available.

While SVG 1.1 percolates, the Tiny and Basic work is applying it to create smaller versions of SVG for mobile devices:

"Some form of SVG suited to displaying vector graphics on small devices is required.... A single such profile is not sufficient to deal with the variety of mobile devices, because each mobile device has different characteristics in terms of CPU speed, memory size, and color support. To address the range of different device families, two profiles are defined. The first low-level profile, SVG Tiny (SVGT) is suitable for highly restricted mobile devices; while the second profile, SVG Basic (SVGB) is targeted for higher level mobile devices."

Schemas and DTDs for the profiles will appear in the next draft.