Re: Public Understanding of the Timeframe of HTMl 5 Development

On Mon, 10 Dec 2007, Dan Connolly wrote:
>
> Yes, the LC milestone needs updating. I'm mulling it over; advice is 
> welcome.

Realistically, based on the volume of feedback received and the rate of 
going through feedback (which is actually significantly faster than the 
rate that, e.g., the CSS working group has gone through feedback 
historically) I would estimate that we can reach LC around October 2009.


> > I've updated the FAQ on this:
> > 
> >    http://wiki.whatwg.org/wiki/FAQ#When_will_HTML_5_be_finished.3F
> 
> I see "It is estimated that HTML5 will reach a W3C recommendation in the 
> year 2022 or later".
> 
> While it's subject to change, the plan of record is:
> 
> 2010-09 HTML5 Recommendation
> http://www.w3.org/html/wg/#sched
> http://www.w3.org/2007/03/HTML-WG-charter.html#deliverables

That's the W3C plan of record, not the WHATWG's. The FAQ above is the 
WHATWG's. (BTW, I just updated it based on changes over the past week.)


> Please include that estimate instead of or in addition to any other 
> estimates when you're describing this project to wide audiences.

Done.


> > Also, I think it would help to emphasise how different parts of the 
> > spec have different levels of maturity (e.g. how <canvas> is widely 
> > implemented and shipping, whereas <datagrid> is just a draft).
> 
> I have repeatedly found that attempts to mix maturity levels in one 
> document are not cost-effective; the best way to explain to people that 
> <datagrid> has a different status from <canvas> is to put it in a 
> different document. I hope you'll give the idea serious consideration.

I already have; see:

   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2007Nov/0447.html
   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2007Dec/0046.html

...for my conclusions.


The WHATWG spec now has live in-band annotations that anyone can edit, 
which also allow for links to test cases and demos, as well as a summary 
of implementation status, to be added on a per-section basis. Hopefully 
this will mitigate the problems to which you refer.

HTH,
-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'

Received on Tuesday, 11 December 2007 05:54:17 UTC