Vector Graphics in Browsers

SVG supported by Firefox
VML supported by Microsoft in IE 

<Canvas> for IE via VML
VML SVG and <Canvas>
VML and SVG Compared

Gary Beene's VML Information Center 

Advice to Beginners: 

Your intended audience is the key, deciding factor in this decision. If you're a corporate programmer and your company standard browser is MSIE, then just use VML and don't look back.