A set of technologies that enables software components to
interact with one another in a networked environment, regardless of the language
in which the components were created. ActiveX, which was developed by Microsoft
in the mid 1990s and is currently administered by the Open Group, is built on
Microsoft’s Component Object Model (COM). Currently, ActiveX is used primarily
to develop interactive content for the World Wide Web, although it can be used
in desktop applications and other programs. ActiveX controls can be embedded in
Web pages to produce animation and other multimedia effects, interactive
objects, and sophisticated applications.
ActiveX control : A reusable software component based
on Microsoft’s ActiveX technology that is used to add interactivity and more
functionality, such as animation or a popup menu, to a Web page, applications,
and software development tools. An ActiveX control can be written in any of a
number of languages, including Java, C++, and Visual Basic.
See also ActiveX. Compare helper program.