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HTML5 Splits Into Two Standards

Posted by timothy on from the so-many-to-choose-from dept.

mikejuk writes "Until now the two standards bodies working on HTML5 (WHATWG and W3C) have cooperated. An announcement by WHATWG makes it clear that this is no longer true. WHATWG is going to work on a living standard for HTML which will continue to evolve as more technologies are added. W3C is going the traditional and much more time consuming route of creating a traditional standard which WHATWG refers to as a 'snapshot' of their living standard. Of course now being free of W3C's slower methods WHATWG can accelerate the pace of introducing new technologies to HTML5. Whatever happens, the future has just become more complicated — now you have to ask yourself 'Which HTML5?'"

9 of 395 comments (clear)

  1. Dumb idea. by kingramon0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So when browsers claim to be fully HTML5 compliant, will that even have any meaning anymore?

    1. Re:Dumb idea. by tooyoung · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Six weeks is not really an unreasonably short release cadence

      But it is an unreasonably short update cadence for the user. You have totally missed the parent's point - people don't want to be updating their software every six weeks. For the home user, this is an annoyance. For the SMB or enterprise, this is a nightmare.

      Just because you can release new features every six weeks doesn't mean that you should. As the parent said, this seems to be more for the "gee-whiz" factor than anything else. That, or some well intentioned soul doesn't understand that flooding the user base with software updates doesn't really equate to a good experience.

    2. Re:Dumb idea. by Xest · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It doesn't help that they don't even seem to know what's in each release themselves. Case in point, I loaded up Firefox yesterday and it asked me if I wanted to install a security and stability update, so I clicked yes and it installed... ...but if it's just a security and stability update, why the fuck has my user interface changed? Were the old back/forward and home buttons a security risk then? Thanks Mozilla, for lying to me about what was in the update.

      Honestly, if they can't even tell what they're putting into each patch there's really little hope for the process.

  2. ...now you have to ask yourself 'Which HTML5?'" by ClaraBow · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The one supported by by Webkit and Gecko?

  3. I have mod points by LilBlackKittie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    and I wanted to moderate this story down for its appalling failure to call W3C "W3C" two times out of three.

  4. How can a standard be "living"? by An+Anonymous+Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Living standard" is kind of an oxymoron. The whole point of having a standard is so that authors have something to target, and developers know what is necessary to be standards compliant. A constantly evolving standard creates a moving target, which I believe is actually counter-productive.

    1. Re:How can a standard be "living"? by colinrichardday · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There is no reason the HTML5 standard needs to change that often if it's well thought out in the first place .

      I believe that I've detected a problem.

  5. Slow down by MS · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The whole world should slow down. Stick with a stable standard for a while. And relax.

    1. Re:Slow down by CanHasDIY · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The whole world should slow down. Stick with a stable standard for a while. And relax.

      This is probably the deepest, most profound statement on the internet today, if you take the time to really drink it in.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese