This post originated from an RSS feed registered with .NET Buzz by Frank Hileman. Original Post: VG.net compared to Flash and SVG Feed Title: Frank Hileman's Blog Feed URL: http://weblogs.asp.net/frank_hileman/rss?containerid=13 Feed Description: Vector Graphics with VG.net, MyXaml, and Visual Studio Integration Latest .NET Buzz Posts Latest .NET Buzz Posts by Frank Hileman Latest Posts From Frank Hileman's Blog

On the website www.javalobby.org VG.net was noted in the forums. A couple posters compared VG.net to Flash and SVG. I pointed out some significant differences between VG.net and Flash or SVG, and I repost those differences here.

The VG.net runtime is free, like Flash. VG.net has these differences with Flash:

• It is not an activeX control, it is a .NET dll written in 100% managed code that can be simply deployed.
• It is designed for .NET programmers, with an API compliant with standard MS guidelines. Flash is clumsy for .NET programmers.
• Because it is a .NET assembly, it can be used in any .NET language.
• Because it is used by compiled .NET languages, it has a speed advantage over Flash. All components created with VG.net can also be reused in any .NET program.
• There is a VG.net designer integrated in Visual Studio .NET, so programmers can create graphical components the same way they would create a Windows Form or UserControl. Each component can be given custom properties, methods, and events.

Based on the above description you can probably see how it is much easier for .NET developers to use VG.net instead of SVG and an ActiveX control:

• Easier to deploy, especially in restricted security settings, because it is 100% unmanaged code, and does not depend on an ActiveX control.
• A .NET oriented API, as described above. We also strove to make it easier to use than SVG.
• Use any .NET language, not javascript.
• All languages compiled.
• A heck of a lot faster than SVG. This is due to the compilation and years of optimization work on the VG.net run-time engine.
• No parsing is required at run-time. Components created in the designer are compiled down to binary MSIL at compile time.
• Great scalability.
• Fully exposes GDI+ capabilities -- features that are not available on SVG include path gradients, bell curve gradients, many text properties.
• A component oriented architecture. We encourage the creation and reuse of graphical industry-specific components, each of which is a .NET class with custom properties, methods and events. Once a library of components is created, they can be reused acrosss multiple higher level screens or components. Components can be nested to any depth.

I believe it is that last point that is the greatest strength over a data-file oriented system such as SVG.