Day: June 9, 2010

What exactly does HTML5 mean?http://bit.ly/cCM89x

Just like AJAX/Ajax before it, there’s a battle running over what, exactly HTML5 means. It means many things and this article at Ajaxian.com (would it be html5.com if it were started today?) explains in detail what all the different references mean, and what features are in each. Good read for anyone trying to better understand “HTML5”.

Going deeper, I’ve broken these down into separate areas:

• “HTML5 Strict” – Things that are strictly inside the W3C’s HTML5 spec.
• “Referenced by HTML5″ – Things that are referenced by the HTML5 spec and which can optionally be parsed into the DOM and displayed.
• “Broken out of HTML5″ – Things that used to be part of HTML5 or its older iterations, called Web Applications and Web Forms.
• “HTML5 Family of Technologies” – Extended set of technologies not strictly part of HTML5 spec or referenced but likely to be used in conjunction with HTML5.
• “HTML5++” – More experimental technologies pushing the web forward that are not part of the HTML5 spec at all; may or may not see broader adoption.

One small note; there are actually two HTML5 specs, one maintained by the W3C and the othermaintained by the WhatWG.

A Guide To The Cultural Battle That Is Reshaping The Media Business http://bit.ly/bhV7qC Top-down vs. Passion-driven; The Hero vs The Masses.

A much more thoughtful post than you’d expect from the “icanhascheesburger” guy! It’s not a long article but it’s well worth the read to understand the tension between traditional media and Internet Media.

The challenge for big media companies is not just financial. They have to find a way to embrace the power of their users and change their thought process and attitude towards their customers, while not alienating the creator-centric model that currently pays the bills. Interestingly enough, it’s the music industry (thanks to the pains caused by file-sharing) that’s beginning to experiment with ways to embrace the fans through merchandise and concerts, even if it means less short-term revenues.