AGE Logic Inc, which got the contract for the work back in January, has released the alpha version of the X Image Extension Sample Implementation, XIE-SI, to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology X Consortium. XIE, through specialised compression and decompression algorithms, will provide a standard optimised way to integrate documents and image data into applications for Motif and the X Window System, the San Diego, California company says. The protocol supports colour, grayscale and black and white image formats. The XIE-SI release includes a beta-quality document imaging subset designed to reduce the cost and memory requirements for applications dealing primarily with black and white images. CCITT Group 3 and Group 4 facsimile and run-length encoding compression schemes are supported in the document imaging system. AGE claims that the performance barriers for serious imaging in the X Window System will be lifted. Beta release is scheduled for the autumn with final release planned for delivery around the year-end.
