CNET News.com: Microsoft does multimedia in slow motion

“Within Microsoft’s graphics world there are three technologies
in various states of limbo. They are Fahrenheit, a project to fuse
parts of Microsoft’s and SGI’s graphics programming interfaces;
Chromeffects, a set of technologies to bring graphics common on
personal computers to the Web; and Talisman, a graphics chip
architecture.

All three of these technologies, like many in the same category
that have never seen the light of day, have emerged and then
foundered in a swift, quixotic market for computer and Web
graphics. In addition to facing elusive demand, Microsoft has
had to contend with smaller firms that have been able to maneuver
around Microsoft in getting their products to market at cheaper
prices and with lighter bandwidth demands.

Microsoft has not been alone in its struggle with multimedia
graphics technology; just yesterday, Intel said it is abandoning
its graphics chip business.”

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