Andrew T.
Experienced Member
Here's an issue that's been dwelling on my mind for nearly 20 years, back to the days when I still encountered Windows 3.1 on a daily basis:
Why do no 16-bit versions of Netscape or IE contain support for PNG images?
The last 16-bit Windows versions of the "big two" browsers were Netscape 4.08 and IE 5.01. Neither are capable of rendering PNGs. Yet perplexingly, the 32-bit incarnations of the exact same versions do contain PNG support! Windows 3.1 users were denied functionality that Windows 95 users took for granted when browsing the web.
For a while, I presumed that this happened because there was something intrinsically 32-bit about the PNG format itself...but the 16-bit version of Opera 3.62 renders PNGs without issue (aside from a lack of transparency), so that shoots a hole in that theory.
Any ideas?
Why do no 16-bit versions of Netscape or IE contain support for PNG images?
The last 16-bit Windows versions of the "big two" browsers were Netscape 4.08 and IE 5.01. Neither are capable of rendering PNGs. Yet perplexingly, the 32-bit incarnations of the exact same versions do contain PNG support! Windows 3.1 users were denied functionality that Windows 95 users took for granted when browsing the web.
For a while, I presumed that this happened because there was something intrinsically 32-bit about the PNG format itself...but the 16-bit version of Opera 3.62 renders PNGs without issue (aside from a lack of transparency), so that shoots a hole in that theory.
Any ideas?