2006: Web Standards Tipping Point
With all the looking forward to 2007 I want to post a quick anecdote about 2006 and what it meant for work on the web.
In 2006 the standards war basically ended. For years, standards-based web designers who care that the HTML underlying each web page is structured properly have had to butcher their crafted work to accommodate old browsers. Over time, a combination of pressure on the makers of web browsers, particularly Microsoft, has resulted in an environment with fine-grained browser hacking when needed.
When Firefox exploded on the scene the pressure increased and Microsoft was finally forced to really deal with the crisis. Last year two big developments reflect this change: Microsoft pushed their conditional comment CSS solution and finally released a version of Internet Explorer that dealt with most of the major headaches.
The best thing about IE 7, in my opinion, is that it went far enough to make my life easier but not so far that it stopped the growth of Firefox in its tracks. This is important because continued growth for Firefox means continued pressure on Microsoft to either keep improving IE or just give up and support Firefox.
But really, Firefox? A year ago Firefox was just starting to really break into the mainstream but tonight I realized just how far it has come. A while ago I donated to the Spread Firefox project and bought a GetFirefox.com t-shirt that simply has the Firefox logo on the front. It joined the pantheon of my geek shirts in my gym/ beachwear collection.
On my way from work I stopped at Whole Foods to get some groceries and was still wearing the shirt from the gym.
I stopped an employee who was restocking the shelves to ask if they had any Seventh Generation toilet paper. They didn't have any but he wanted to know if I worked for that company. I was confused but he pointed to my shirt and asked if I worked for them, for the Firefox people. I explained that I didn't but that I use it and think it's great. He agreed and exclaimed, "It's so fast and slick."
Now if that doesn't mean that Firefox is well beyond a tipping point I don't know what would.
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: 2006: Web Standards Tipping Point.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.samfelder.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/244
Who is this guy?
Leave a comment