Re: HTML4.0 draft: comments re: inclusio

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>From: Arnoud "Galactus" Engelfriet

>The problem is more that the *methods* used to create "good looking"
>websites suck. This, combined with the apparent willingness of most
>authors to use these crappy extensions to get something that looks
>decent in an otherwise boring browser, is what gets out the "holier-than-
>thou" attitude. There *are* good solutions to this, but they're not
>implemented, and 'designers' who feel happy with using the half-baked
>solutions are primarily responsible for keeping the situation as it
>is now.


Anyone who expects the web to become standardised anytime soon is just 
kidding themselves. It's too new a technology, there's still alot of 
development to be done. Market forces will force those who create 
web-browsers to add more and more features. Added to this will be the 
increasing number of plug-ins available for those browsers offering 
enhancements not possible with pure HTML. That's not including the 
increasing number of scripting features!
This is GOOD. It offers more functionality to the user/publisher. 
Increasingly we will see; "you need plug-in X to view this page", or "this 
page is best viewed in browser X". Whether or not we like it - this WILL 
happen, as the public demand additional features faster than the standards 
can supply them and Java allows programmers to create plug-ins that are 
platform independent. Increasing bandwidth will allow us to download these 
plug-ins at an acceptable speed.
To say that web authors should limit themselves to only those features 
available in the HTML standards, and supported by minority browsers, when 
over 90% of web users have either IE3.x or Netscape3.x or higher, and an 
increasing number have both, is just ludicrous! This is an industry where 
the customers and the manufacturers are the driving force and the 
standard-makers play catch-up.
Good web design is good web design, yes browser independence is a 
consideration, but it is not the ONLY consideration.

Beware, the plug-ins are coming!

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}:-o
Regards
/Hass http://hass.home.ml.org
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"I may not agree with what you say but I will
fight until I die for your right to say it."
 - Voltaire (A very clever man)

Received on Friday, 12 September 1997 02:55:06 UTC