Device upload for all platforms -- the official HTML WG position

>From: "James P. Salsman" <bovik@best.com>
>Subject: URGENT: W3C web form standards for device input and upload
>
>Thursday evening I spoke with a member of the W3C HTML Working
>Group who removed all my remaining doubt that the HTML WG has any
>serious support for open, non-proprietary web form upload standards
>for non-wintel platforms.  The HTML WG keeps including Microsoft's
>OBJECT catch-all element tag, even in "scaled down" versions of
>HTML, but refuses to support the non-proprietary device upload
>proposal.  Your help is needed to correct this situation.

I think that as chair of the HTML WG, I had better quickly put this
straight.

James Salsman sent the HTML Working Group a proposal sometime ago for device
upload. We read it, and sent back details to him of how it could be improved
(for instance for device independence). However, he declined to make
changes, claiming that it was fine as it was. We said that we couldn't
accept it flawed as it was, and offered him ways to get involved.

Since then he has been sending messages like the above, apparently thinking
that the problems in his proposal can be solved by petition.

The HTML WG has no problems with device upload, and has never refused to
support device upload; we think it is a good idea. James Salsman's proposal
is flawed, and we have commented on how it could be repaired.

The WG is currently working on revised forms, and any device upload would be
in the context of that work.

The <object> element is a part of HTML 4, which was created by a group of
representatives from many companies. It is not a platform-dependent or
vendor-dependent element.

Best wishes,

Steven Pemberton
Chair, W3C HTML WG