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The browser has become the single piece of software most widely deployed and used. Apple, Microsoft, Google and Firefox's Mozilla are in a race to develop more functional browsers. The core functionality of these browsers must be the same to comply with W3C standards, but they compete on the implementation, such as making use of hardware acceleration.
The race is on to implement HTML 5.0, which moves web browsing beyond simply providing a means of accessing web pages, to supporting web applications. In a report published last September, Gartner research director, Kirk Knoernschild, said: "HTML 5 will allow developers to create web applications that rival rich and fit client offerings."
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A standard for HTML 5.0 is years off, but browsers are supporting some of the proposed features. Paul Cotton manages a team at Microsoft's Redmond headquarters, looking at web-services protocols. Cotton is also co-chair of the HTML working group at the Worldwide Web Consortium, (W3C). He says his work on the W3C committee is mainly one of governance, to ensure implementations of HTML are compatible.
Compatibility is a key requirement for browser developers. Web developers design sites to render accurately on multiple browsers - they may spend a lot of time and effort running compatibility tests across different browsers - and even different versions of the same browser - to ensure the website displays and functions correctly. The challenge for W3C is to ensure a website behaves similarly across different web browsers. The W3C looks at the five main browsers, namely Apple Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera. With HTML 5.0, the W3C aims to tackle browser incompatibility by running stringent tests browsers need to pass.
This month, Cotton expects the HTML 5 standard to reach the next stage of development, when the specification becomes feature-complete.
One component of the spec, CSS 2.1 (cascading style sheets), has reached the proposal recommendation status in the W3C process. Cotton says: "CSS 2.1 gives you a crystal ball into HTML 5.0. It describes how to style and format a web page." Unlike its predecessor, CSS 2, which used the Acid 3 browser test and comprised about 100 tests, Cotton says CSS 2.1 requires a browser to test against 9,000 tests. He says Microsoft has submitted 5,000 tests to the new test suite for CSS 2.1. To pass, each test needs to be run against two browsers, and produce identical results for both. Cotton says: "CSS 2.1 is a really significant step for all browsers." All browser should achieve a high score in the tests, to ensure users get the same experience when they visit websites.
More CIOs must start planning for HTML 5.0 now
The race is on to implement HTML 5.0, which moves web browsing beyond simply providing a means of accessing web pages, to supporting web applications. In a report published last September, Gartner research director, Kirk Knoernschild, said: "HTML 5 will allow developers to create web applications that rival rich and fit client offerings."
Link Removed due to 404 Error
A standard for HTML 5.0 is years off, but browsers are supporting some of the proposed features. Paul Cotton manages a team at Microsoft's Redmond headquarters, looking at web-services protocols. Cotton is also co-chair of the HTML working group at the Worldwide Web Consortium, (W3C). He says his work on the W3C committee is mainly one of governance, to ensure implementations of HTML are compatible.
Compatibility is a key requirement for browser developers. Web developers design sites to render accurately on multiple browsers - they may spend a lot of time and effort running compatibility tests across different browsers - and even different versions of the same browser - to ensure the website displays and functions correctly. The challenge for W3C is to ensure a website behaves similarly across different web browsers. The W3C looks at the five main browsers, namely Apple Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera. With HTML 5.0, the W3C aims to tackle browser incompatibility by running stringent tests browsers need to pass.
This month, Cotton expects the HTML 5 standard to reach the next stage of development, when the specification becomes feature-complete.
One component of the spec, CSS 2.1 (cascading style sheets), has reached the proposal recommendation status in the W3C process. Cotton says: "CSS 2.1 gives you a crystal ball into HTML 5.0. It describes how to style and format a web page." Unlike its predecessor, CSS 2, which used the Acid 3 browser test and comprised about 100 tests, Cotton says CSS 2.1 requires a browser to test against 9,000 tests. He says Microsoft has submitted 5,000 tests to the new test suite for CSS 2.1. To pass, each test needs to be run against two browsers, and produce identical results for both. Cotton says: "CSS 2.1 is a really significant step for all browsers." All browser should achieve a high score in the tests, to ensure users get the same experience when they visit websites.
More CIOs must start planning for HTML 5.0 now
