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Why focus on HTML?

• From: "Dave Winer" <dave@u...>
• To: <xml-dev@i...>
• Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1999 06:46:56 -0700

I've been reading the messages lately on the XML-DEV list and wanted to
share an observation.

You have a choice as to where you channel your energies. Rearchitecting HTML
is going to be a problem because it is already so deeply rooted. It may look
like fun, or a place of power, but that's an illusion. No one has the power
to rearchitect it. It's a thing of nature. W3C is powerless, as are the
browser vendors, as is the XML-DEV list. It doesn't matter what politics
happen in W3C. They have no control over the HTML code that's already
deployed, and very limited influence over the HTML that will be deployed in
the future. Look at the low rate of adoption of everything related to web
browsers and don't blame Microsoft for that, it's a market speaking, and big
markets move s-l-o-w-l-y and for good reason.

So, if you believe that, as I do, why not channel your energies into spaces
where there is no installed base? XML opens all kinds of possibilities. Why
not spread out and focus on implementations that use the net in new ways? Or
try out some new ideas. Why channel all the energy into a place where not
much can be done?

My opinion only..

Dave


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• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Why focus on HTML?
    • From: Len Bullard <cbullard@h...>

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  • Re: an unfilled need
    • From: Tim Bray <tbray@t...>
  • Re: an unfilled need
    • From: Matthew Gertner <matthew@p...>
  • What XML-dev can do (was Re: an unfilled need)
    • From: "Simon St.Laurent" <simonstl@s...>

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