The devices-universal websites "myth" and the semantic web

I'd like to clarify some basic concept behind the MWI, to make sure we all
get it right and close once and for all the related questions :

What defines a website ? A URL ? Content ? Information design ?

Behind the ideology, the main question remains : Should I adapt my website
for mobile devices or create a specific one ? Or if you don't have a website
yet : Should I target all devices with one site ? Or create different
versions ?

Nowadays the fact is almost nobody create a device-universal site (I know no
professional examples, but if you have some .. ?). But the W3C's job is not
to stick to the present so that's not an argument.

So when asking yourself what you should do, you first have to ask these
sub-questions :

 

1.1) Should I serve the same content to all devices ?
-----------------------------------------------------
There is no binary answer. It depends on the content. 

- It's use first : Is the content still usefull (at least not useless) in a
mobile situation ?

You may then want to serve all your content, part of it, or also some
mobile-specific.

This question is to be taken with care as studies shows that many people
surf on their mobile at home. But even at home, there is some content that
you really wouldn't need on a handset screen.

- It's quantity then : Surfing on a mobile is and will always be (even is if
the gap is narrowing) much less confortable than on a PC. Not even talking
about ergonomy, the information structure and length must correspond to the
user reading capability.

Conclusion : 
------------
In most case, you will rather use different content, or shorter one. But in
any case, you can always externalize content (database), the problem then is
more on the site and page structures.


1.2) Can I use a single structure ?
-----------------------------------
Mostly not, depending on your previous answer. Especially if your website is
already done. However building a structure from the start, knowing the
"semantic web" (which is rare .. But, again, industry adoption is not my
point here) and having the multi-devices accessibility problem in mind, you
can. 

Actually you will do best if your structure include several content "length"
(title, heading, short content, long content). You will then have a heavy
use of the CSS "display" property to show the more adapted structure to the
user depending on it's device (however "not displayed" content is still
downloaded, and heavy pages is not what we can call a "best practice").

The media attribute of the CSS was made for this. However the support is too
bad (every mobile "CSS" browser support the "screen" type, but not "handset"
or if they do will often override "handset" by "screen").

Conclusion : 
------------
It would be possible using only xHTML and CSS if browser vendors would
respect the standards, but as they are all making contest to show "PC
websites" on mobile screen ... I think it will never come (and anyway it
would be too late). Now if we add some server side code, we can still rely
heavily on xHTML and CSS using a single "multi-length" structure. But would
it be really usefull ? The weigth, on one side, the confort of server side
content management, and the low adoption of semantic web logic, gives very
few interest to the pure CSS / xHTML solution.
 

1.3) URL and communication
-------------------------
One site = one URL. But do you really wish to communicate on a single URL if
you want to focus your communication on your mobile site ? There are many
reasons why you would choose a solution or the other, and I won't list them
here, but I just wanted to point out that communication strategy doesn't
always match with web ideology.

And if you want a unique URL, does this choice imply to have a unique site ?
No, you can always put a script on your website redirect mobile useragents
to your mobile and vice-versa (thought it is not always that simple).

Conclusion : 
------------
Having different URLS when you have differents versions of your site is
easier and sometime more suited to your marketing objectives, and anyway you
still can have a single URL even if you have different versions. So unique
URL is not an argument to justify a universal site.


I could add some parts about ergonomy, graphics, and more ... But I guess
the point is clear. 

The "devices-universal websites concept" is irrealistic and except for very
specifics cases (students, geeks, and web-guru personal sites and blogs :oD
....) is never suited to the webmaster nor the users needs or goals.

This may appear has an evidence to most readers, as it is to me, but seing
these questions rising again on this public list, and seeing no statement on
this in the MWI description .. I thought it would be good to clarify the
matter and make sure the MWI is not aiming toward this universal site
"myth".


Cheers,

Nicolas Combelles
R&D & Mobile marketing projects Manager
________________________________

Phone : +33 1 4459 3040
Mobile : +33 6 6325 8534
Mail : nicolas.combelles@apocope.com

apocope ~ web & wireless business

Received on Saturday, 28 May 2005 07:59:35 UTC