The Weakest Link
The web authoring community has a problem. Our innovation is artificially crippled by the installed technology of our target market. We could be floating in blissful interoperability through standards-compliant user agents. Instead, we’re drowning in the depths of the lowest common denominator. This often means hacking our presentation code so it displays correctly. Alternatively, we could use that time and money to push the existing standards forward, enhancing the experience for the user by making content easier to find and understand.
While there are many user agents that are lacking in XHTML and CSS-foo, the biggest roadblock to moving the community forward is Microsoft. They are the 800lb gorilla. With the gigantic installed base of Windows users, Internet Explorer will always be the most widely used browser. Due to this, Microsoft actively and passively dictates which technologies will be used in the future. All the cool new technologies coming out of the W3C mean little if they aren’t adopted by the largest installed base. Luckily, Microsoft realises there is a problem and is trying to catch up. However, as good as their intentions may be, they will always be behind. The smaller mammals will always be quicker to adopt new and exciting technologies.
So what to do? Continue to push for the adoption of open standards. Use them yourself in your projects, evangelise them in your workplace and show your clients the benefit to standards adoption. Use best practices when they make sense. They are called best practices for a reason, but make sure you are adopting the correct best practices for your situation. The Web is mature enough that many people have already gone down the road you are about to embark. Use their knowledge and understanding so you don’t re-invent the wheel. The W3C isn’t faultless. In the past, they’ve come up with some rather vague rules which in some cases, created less interoperability rather than more. Push the W3C to create clear, easily implemented technologies. Finally, always think ahead. Think about what you are doing now, and how it will be used in the future. Keep it simple.
So while it may be difficult to move ahead, it’s not impossible. The people who create browsers will adopt the technologies their users want. If we choose interoperability through open standards, future browsers will implement them. However, it starts with us. We must voice our thoughts, otherwise we all stagnate.