HTML standards will lead to flexible web browsing

Posted by: David

Why do we need HTML standards?

HTML 5 is being introduced as a way to better organize the way the web is coded and performs.  If we go without standards we are going to have slowly developing web innovations and innovations that are less flexible.

How do HTML standards make web browsing more flexibile?

If you have ever used an iPhone, iPod Touch or plan on using an iPad you will know exactly why you want a more flexible web.  You get no flash player support with the Apple products.  While it wouldn't be much trouble for a big company like Adobe to design a way for the iPhone to display flash content, Apple simply isn't letting it happen.

Other phone's haven't had the ability to play flash content until lately.  Adobe has been working hard to give everyone as much content available on their phone as well as their PC.  Just because you are on a phone or portable device shouldn't mean you need a portable Internet.  You pay $30 a month of a data plan, you should be allowed to view all of the data you please.

Now, to the question of how standards will make the web browsing more flexible.  The standards will make the web more flexible because unfortunately for Adobe, flash will soon be replaced with the abilities of HTML.  Originally Flash was made to do things that the web had a really hard time doing, and having an easy way to create and publish such things.  As the abilities and intellects behind web design adapt and use new standards, the strengths of flash will be all but obsolete.

There are many technologies that are capable of performing similar to some of the capabilities of Flash.  Web video from sites like YouTube may no longer have to be streamed through flash, but brought to you directly through your web browser, and not a plugin.

Benefits of a flexible web

• All content available on all media. (people can still develop for certain browsers if they wish!)
• Less hassle for developers on all sides.  Mobile OS developers and web designers have less to worry about
• It will probably be faster.  Why wait for a plugin to load when your browser already has the capability?
• No more Silverlight.  Very few people use this.  80% of the computers on our network don't have it on them.
• No more Flash.  While I like Flash, we will all be better off without it in the long run.  It doesn't make sense to use anything third party to show something on a website.