# Chromeffects

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[Microsoft](/source/Microsoft) announced **Chromeffects** as an add-on for [Windows 98](/source/Windows_98) to play 3D graphics and video through a [web browser](/source/Web_browser) or in separate player software, for ads with flashing text and other animation, or to generate user interface enhancements for Web-based applications.[1]

Chromeffects promised to deliver complex multimedia over low-bandwidth connections. Using [HTML](/source/HTML), [XML](/source/XML), [C++](/source/C%2B%2B), [VBScript](/source/VBScript), and [Jscript](/source/Jscript), developers would turn a web browser into a rippling, 3D space with audio and video playback. Later versions of Chromeffects were planned to have the ability to be used for representing databases in 3D.[2][3]

A *[MacWeek](/source/MacWeek)* article from August 1998 quoted [David Card](/source/David_Card), an analyst at [Jupiter Communications](/source/Jupiter_Communications) as saying, "Chromeffects is cool software, and it's not often I say Microsoft has cool software. Apple doesn't have anything comparable".[2][3][4]

Chromeffects had problems with its business model, it was not intended to be a freely distributed technology, rather OEM PC manufacturers or other commercial entities would license the technology to provide to their customers as an IE add-on. However, despite a hard marketing push in mid-1998, OEM interests never materialized and Microsoft canceled the project as part of a major internal reorganization in November 1998.[5][6] The different components of Chromeffects were separated and integrated into other Microsoft products, such as [DirectAnimation](/source/DirectAnimation) in [Internet Explorer](/source/Internet_Explorer).[7]

The [Microsoft Liquid Motion](/source/Microsoft_Liquid_Motion) technology used Chromeffects "under the hood".

A similar newer modern initiative by Microsoft is [Silverlight](/source/Microsoft_Silverlight).[3]

## References

1. Weston, Randy (1998-07-21). ["Microsoft debuts Chromeffects"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140714172346/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-213566.html). *[CNET News](/source/CNET_News)*. [CBS Interactive](/source/CBS_Interactive). Archived from [the original](http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-213566.html) on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-04.

1. Elan, Daniel (2004-02-02). ["Inside iTunes: Part III - Microsoft: We hate your baby, please kill it"](http://www.roughlydrafted.com/insideitunes3.html). *Roughly Drafted*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140410202046/http://www.roughlydrafted.com/insideitunes3.html) 2014-04-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2014-07-04.

1. Jary, Simon (2008-09-02). ["Google's Chrome has no chance of success. Fact!"](http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/opinion/internet/3270528/googles-chrome-has-no-chance-of-success-fact/). *[PC Advisor](/source/PC_Advisor)*. [IDG](/source/International_Data_Group). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140704113750/http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/opinion/internet/3270528/googles-chrome-has-no-chance-of-success-fact/) 2014-07-04 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2014-07-04.

1. *[MacWEEK](/source/MacWEEK)*. [Ziff Davis](/source/Ziff_Davis). August 1998. [ISSN 0892-8118](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0892-8118)

1. Festa, Paul (1998-12-03). ["Microsoft's Chromeffects coming out after all"](http://news.cnet.com/Microsofts-Chromeffects-coming-out-after-all/2100-1023_3-218655.html). *CNET News*. CBS Interactive. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140704111020/http://news.cnet.com/Microsofts-Chromeffects-coming-out-after-all/2100-1023_3-218655.html) 2014-07-04 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2014-07-04.

1. Smith, Tony (1998-11-13). ["Microsoft moves Chromeffects onto back-burner"](https://www.theregister.co.uk/1998/11/13/microsoft_moves_chromeffects_onto_backburner/). *[The Register](/source/The_Register)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140704111020/http://news.cnet.com/Microsofts-Chromeffects-coming-out-after-all/2100-1023_3-218655.html) 2014-07-04 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2014-07-03.

1. Festa, Paul (1998-11-12). ["Microsoft shelves Chromeffects"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140714163554/http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-shelves-Chromeffects/2100-1023_3-217885.html). *CNET News*. CBS Interactive. Archived from [the original](http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-shelves-Chromeffects/2100-1023_3-217885.html) on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-04.

## External links

- ["Microsoft Announces Chromeffects Software Development Kit"](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/1998/jul98/chromepr.aspx) (Press release for Chromeffects). Microsoft. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140704113136/https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/1998/jul98/chromepr.aspx) 2014-07-04 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2014-07-04.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chromeffects](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromeffects) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromeffects?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.