Re: HTML 5 and XHTML 2 combined

Hi Molte,

> The problem just might be, that if the browser vendors do not like the
> language they can simply just avoid supporting it (just like going on a
> strike). And then what idea is there of a standard that is not supported or
> used?

It's interesting that the Ajax approach opens up the possibility of
building libraries to support new languages, even if the browser
vendors have decided not to implement those languages. I'm involved in
the XForms, XHTML 2 and RDFa specifications at the W3C, and have been
able to implement XForms and RDFa processors in JavaScript by using
the techniques pioneered by the Ajax innovators.

(I should add that I don't believe that browser vendors have a duty to
implement anything -- it's their software after all.)


> It's just a question about who has the power to decide the future of the
> Web. The browser vendors? the coders/developers? "us"? or just everyone in
> cooperation?

This discussion reminds me of a blog post of mine from a few years
ago, "Ajax makes browser choice irrelevant...but we still need
standards" [1].

In it I argue that the incredible things that people are doing with
Ajax libraries allows us to 'hide' the vagaries of different browsers,
which weakens the power of the browser vendors. Unfortunately, though,
whilst there are no standards for the Ajax libraries themselves, then
it makes it difficult for authors to build applications that they feel
confident could be ported to different libraries, should the need
arise.

The thrust of the blog post is that I believe that browser vendors
have less and less 'control' than they used to have. But of course you
could argue that this is irrelevant, since as long as everyone
continues to believe that they are so important -- and that they hold
the key to the success or failure of a standard -- then they will
remain so.

Regards,

Mark

[1] <http://internet-apps.blogspot.com/2006/09/ajax-makes-browser-choice-irrelevantbut.html>

-- 
Mark Birbeck, webBackplane

mark.birbeck@webBackplane.com

http://webBackplane.com/mark-birbeck

webBackplane is a trading name of Backplane Ltd. (company number
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Received on Tuesday, 20 January 2009 17:57:29 UTC