Web authors have at times felt like back-seat drivers. Try as they might to make pages match an image in their mind—often manipulating large bitmaps or laboring with tables to do so—they often came away feeling like the steering wheel was in somebody else's hands. With Dynamic HTML's 2D Positioning, authors now have complete control over the positioning of images and elements, determining what happens where on every page they create.

In addition to being able to specify the exact placement of text and images on a page, authors can now create multiple layers using standards-based Cascading Style Sheets so images overlap and appear transparent, creating new visual effects that animate pages. Authors can also build interactivity into their sites by combining 2D Positioning with scripting.

Take a look at our demos to see what's possible when Web authors use Dynamic HTML to create finely positioned, overlapping layers of content and objects. You need to be running Internet Explorer 4.0 to view the demos. If you haven't installed it yet, click Download in the left column, but be sure to read the warning before you proceed with the download instructions.

• Lakes & Sons Landscaping. Dynamic HTML's absolute positioning capabilities make it possible to overlap multiple objects on a single page, creating an array of graphics that's both impressive and useful. Go ahead and move the trees and shrubs around on the page to change the landscape design. Combining 2D Positioning with a bit of script lets authors create a truly interactive, animated experience for the user.
• What lurks beneath the water? To see true interactivity in action, click anywhere in the water and see how the fish follows your every mouse command. 2D Positioning is the technology that lets the fish move anywhere on the page—even over text.