A Brief History
Many articles have already been written about the history and benefits of PNG (pronounced "PING") but a quick overview would be of some benefit. The Portable Network Graphic file format is both open source and nonproprietary. It was created in response to a potential licensing fee crisis that came about in late 1994 when CompuServe, the creators of the GIF file format, and UNISYS, the creators of the compression algorithm that GIF uses, were considering a licensing fee for their formats use. Many in the graphic and web design community were incensed. The implications of this new arrangement were clear to them even though the two companies had stated that they were only interested in targeting hardware and software vendors.

Reaction was swift. The announcement by the corporations was made on December 28th 1994 and by January 4th, 1995 the initial specifications for PNG had already been posted to the comp.graphics.newsgroup on Usenet. Thomas Boutell, Greg Roelofs, Scott Elliott, Tom Lane, and a number of other tech-savvy enthusiasts were setting the foundations for a new graphic file format that would not only replace the controversial GIF format but also improve upon it. PNG was to incorporate Gamma Correction, 2D interlacing, and most importantly, Alpha Channel transparency. We won't go into the details of these specific features other than to say that they were and still are a step forward when compared to other contemporary formats. The truly remarkable thing about PNG is its grassroots foundation. It wouldn't exist if it weren't for the hard work of individuals who banded together in response to a situation that they felt wasn't quite right.