[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message] RE: Alternatives to the W3C
Hello Ann, Ann said: Sure they are. The minute you say "you must use <arbitrary browser/software here>" for an application being served over a medium that was designed to be machine/platform/software independent, you've created an artificial barrier. Didier replies: Ann, I am still trying to fully understand the implications of requiring that document are to be able to be decoded in any browser. The reality being that actually one browser is improving and that the others (a) either do not have the money and resource to follow the W3C productivity (b) have the money but are in a kind of limbo doing very little improvements. This all implies that we have to target the least denominator. So, it also implies that no progress is made, that the web reached a stagnant plateau. It also implies that we may be in trouble to believe that XML will make it since not all browsers will support XML before at certain time (couple years). This is puzzling me. From a other point of view I guess that Len and Dave are right because thinking of the web as an homogeneous entity is no longer true. There are market segments, people who need different things, have different tools. Seeing the Web as a huge melting pot is probably not the right way to see it. This is an hypothesis but maybe, little by little the web will becomes several webs. For instance, on my desktop I am part of the Real audio network, part of the ICQ network. It seems that all these network providers choused a different place to reside on my machine (the tray bar). I am also part of other networks that are embedded in applications, in tools like for instance Personal finance software. In fact, this latter embeds a browser component but uses the most advanced features. Also, I am part of a new bread of networks like destop.com, halfbrain.com. In this case, these guys choused to used the most advanced features of browsers. I was using desktop.com with a 28.8K modem and got really dragged by the slow reaction of this service, but when I moved to cable modem, I got a totally different experience. So, my guess is that the web melting pot utopia may lead the place to the personalized network or something more targeted to the needs of particular groups. This implies that their tools have to be different, better, to be differentiated. The good point is that because most of these tools are free, there is no market friction. So, if I cannot access these features it is simply because I do not want to download these tools. Not because I have not access to. I am obviously not talking here of people who cannot access the information because of some physical limitations. And on the other hand, I am surprised to see how some manufacturers having big and deep pockets and doing everything to punch Microsoft at a federal court do not help create some healthy competition to the Microsoft browser by participating to the Mozilla project. They are often big mouth about Open Software, standards, etc.. but with no real concrete actions. Waht would be the cost for IBM or SUN to provide 5 developers each to the Mozilla project? If you pay close attention, you'll see that most of the developers are coming from Netscape or small group or individual that contributes to the project. It is these people who can make it so that we have competition and standard compliance. Also, how a small manufacturer can create a browser if this is to be distributed as a free tool. I guess that the Opera people can tell us how hard it is to struggle in that kind of market environment. So, the SUNs and IBMs of this world do not help us to have the freedom of choice. And the groups like Mozilla trying to make it so are struggling getting the resources to make it so. It took nearly a decade for Linux to become what it is today. Will it take a decade for Mozilla to become a viable choice? Funny world isn't it? Cheers Didier PH Martin ---------------------------------------------- Email: martind@n... Conferences: Web New York (http://www.mfweb.com) Book to come soon: XML Pro published by Wrox Press Products: http://www.netfolder.com xml-dev: A list for W3C XML Developers. To post, mailto:xml-dev@i... Archived as: http://www.lists.ic.ac.uk/hypermail/xml-dev/ or CD-ROM/ISBN 981-02-3594-1 Unsubscribe by posting to majordom@i... the message unsubscribe xml-dev (or) unsubscribe xml-dev your-subscribed-email@your-subscribed-address Please note: New list subscriptions now closed in preparation for transfer to OASIS.
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