Jan Brasna wrote:
" I want a standards based website -- can you deliver?"
This premise is wrong. When I'm buying a house I also do not
explicitly state that I want it to be built with standards, however I
anticipate it's not going to fall on my head soon.
I don't agree with this analogy.
Standards that govern the construction of homes and buildings in most
western nations are set by regulating arms of the government and are
there for the mortal protection of person and property. It is not a
business case it is a matter of safety and liability. So you don't die
and so governments aren't allowing unsafe buildings to be built under
their watch. And BTW if you assume all the work done in your home meets
standards I would strongly advise getting a home inspector in. Standards
change and people who don't know what they are doing can ruin anything
that was built on standards -- just like on the web.
Web standards are a set of principles based around the recommendations
of various authorities and experts for the purpose of excellence and
professionalism -- they have no real danger if ignored. Web standards
are more like ISO9000 management certification, companies that have this
certification adhere to guidelines based on management structure and
coordination but if a company lets their ISO status slide because they
stop filing management reports is doing harm only to themselves in that
their operation may become disorganized or tatty. A few customers will
choose to not work with them as a result of the status change but if the
product is the same when it changes hands and the support is intact etc.
the end user really doesn't care that certification exists or not.
No one will die or be harmed as a result of tag soup or demi-infinite
nested tables. The website may be built on a rubble foundation but there
are no regulatory bodies to make sure that they won't collapse (pardon
the CSS pun).
It's the professional side of all the suppliers. If you want to target
the educational influence, do it there. Clients shouldn't care - they
have own businesses to look after.
I do agree, and that is my main point, but those influencers, first
movers and thought leaders are business people and there needs to be
some compelling reason for them to adopt and then evangelize web
standards. My ongoing struggle is that we (web standards oriented
developers) have made, what I think is, a case for larger enterprise in
cost, maintenance, bandwidth etc. I want to develop a consistent,
concise, and compelling case for these leaders to grab onto web standards.
What I have come to realise is that groups like WaSP and WSG need to get
together and put forth a path to conversion for business to integrate
web standards into their operations. We have not focus so much attention
on criticizing those who won't move forward and make them obsolete by
making web standards THE standard that business demands of developers.
There will always be those who want to focus on publish-day price only
and maybe they get what they pay for but not what they deserve. The WSG
and WaSP should make an effort to be more in touch with business beyond
trying to make IE a halfway decent browser but in creating respect,
understanding and desire for a better, more functional, more agile web.
As always, all the best,
Jay
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