VML is a deprecated markup language for vector graphics that was rejected by the W3C almost a decade ago. The W3C’s Scalable Vector Graphics markup is the pre-existing and more widely used standard in this area.
We acknowledge that Microsoft may wish to use VML for legacy purposes, but this needs to be balanced by the desire of others to use the more recognized SVG format.
Allow SVG for graphics wherever VML is allowed.
pages 4343-4960 Part 4, Section 6. VML Reference Material
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Proposed Disposition of DIS 29500 Comment CL-0206 (Modified: 2008-01-09) Agreed; deprecated markup should not be required in the specification. At each location where VML is currently required, the use of VML will be deprecated and replaced with an alternative using DrawingML. This is addressed in detail within the disposition of the following comments: CA-0076, CL-0025, CL-0206, CO-0076, CO-0223, CZ-0004, CZ-0011, DE-0018, DE-0020, DE-0021, DE-0115, DE-0116, DK-0058, DK-0095, DK-0150, DK-0155, FI-0008, GB-0177, GB-0190, GB-0476, GB-0477, GR-0087, IE-0009, JP-0030, KE-0047, KE-0064, MX-0006, US-0092, US-0152, UY-0002, VE-0013, and ZA-0016. Regarding the issue of using SVG in Office Open XML documents: This is addressed in the disposition of the following comments: FI-0007, KR-0023, ZA-0015. Similar Comments: CL-0025 ,
This seems to be ambiguous in light of the response to US - 152 ( http://www.dis29500.org/us-152/ ) which indicates that VML will be dropped from OOXML. Does this mean that VML and SVG will both be removed from OOXML?
Obviously the Office Open XML format contains DrawingML as a successor of VML and VML should as such be deprecated.
SVG is not a logical replacement as it much more limited than current office features require. for instance it does not contain 3D elements like DrawingML does.
(p.s. The comment seems incorrect to state that SVG is pre-existing compared to VML.)