“A consortium of digital-imaging companies have released
open-source implementations of their preferred standard for
presenting high-quality images via the Internet.”
“The Digital Imaging Group (DIG) is offering free code – written
in the Java programming language – for both server- and client-side
applications demonstrating the prowess of its Internet Imaging
Protocol (IIP). The examples can be downloaded from the DIG’s Web
site free of charge until May 1, when it will begin charging a $35
fee.”
“IIP allows operators of Web sites to place images online
without first having to reduce high-resolution content down to
bandwidth- friendly file sizes – usually low-resolution images
designed to accommodate the lowest common denominator among the
dial-up access crowd. Instead, IIP down-samples images on the fly,
allowing for variable image quality according to bandwidth. In
addition, IIP supports sampling of portions of high-resolution
images, thus enabling the effects of panning and zooming within the
client-side image browser.”