tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-418176209892776711.post6161476775092566806..comments2024-03-16T19:33:51.896-07:00Comments on Masinter's Musings: HTML5 and W3C Focus (10/2008)Larry Masinterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17430215720106687178noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-418176209892776711.post-35153053412247631472010-02-15T09:27:26.688-08:002010-02-15T09:27:26.688-08:00As I've argued Orthogonality of Specifications...As I've argued <a href="http://www.w3.org/QA/2009/06/orthogonality_of_specification.html" rel="nofollow">Orthogonality of Specifications</a>, allowing independent technologies to evolve independently is part of the strength of the web platform. Tying it all together in one spec, and one working group, is harmful.<br /><br />As I noted in a <a href="http://larry.masinter.net/0003webweek.pdf" rel="nofollow">Future of Web Technology and Standards</a> (given in 2000 when I was working for AT&T), standards <b>follow</b> innovation, rather than leading it. I disagree completely that "things that 'take time' are usually superceded by things that go most of the way and can get out the door quickly." Good standards are good for a long time.<br /><br />(And, as posted elsewhere, neither I nor Adobe object to, oppose, are trying to block, slow down, or do naughty things to the Canvas APIs; claims otherwise are just histrionics.)Larry Masinterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17430215720106687178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-418176209892776711.post-6431387835831843532010-02-14T14:08:28.305-08:002010-02-14T14:08:28.305-08:00Larry,
First, I appreciate you spelling out your ...Larry,<br /><br />First, I appreciate you spelling out your arguments here on your weblog, and I’ve tried to understand your perspective as best I can.<br /><br />Where I have trouble, though, is with statements like “Making changes or additions to HTML, and encouraging content creators to use additional features where universal acceptance is not likely is irresponsible, because it fragments the web, and encourages creation of content which only works for some people and not others.”<br /><br />Given your employer, this feels a bit like talking out of both sides of your mouth. Now I realize that you’re not part of the Flash team, may have no connection whatsoever to it, and may not even like Flash. Nevertheless, while you’re right that “Good standards are hard and take time,” on the Web (or really, with any technology at all) things that “take time” are usually superceded by things that go most of the way and can get out the door quickly. Such as, for example, Flash.<br /><br />I came here after reading some [highly-charged] posts about HTML5, and am trying to understand Adobe’s objection to the canvas API. Is it because, at the philosophical root, Adobe and you believe that “the expansion of W3C activities outside the core of the web” means that the canvas API is overreaching what is, at a very basic level, a hypertext specification? Because if so, that objection feels thin. If the W3C’s purposes are boxed in by “the core of the web,” whatever that means, are all the non-core parts merely open to a melee competition by the major software vendors? It seems like that would be the very quickest path back to the “chaos of the browser wars.”<br /><br />If I've misunderstood — as I suspect it’s likely that I have — I’d welcome any clarification.Christianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17230015521401228993noreply@blogger.com