Jeff Jaffe of the W3C reports, “HTML5 is the cornerstone of the Open Web Platform that the web community is building. This week saw two significant events in W3C that bolster our efforts… First, we announced that Adobe, Google, and Microsoft have provided significant funds to sponsor more complete W3C staff coverage to achieve Recommendation Status for HTML5 for 2014.”

He continues, “Second, the chairs announced people from the community chosen to participate in the editorial team to complete HTML5: Travis Leithead, Erika Doyle Navara, Ted O’Connor, and Silvia Pfeiffer; more names will follow. With these contributions of time and money from our Membership, we are confident that HTML5 is resourced to move forward. And we are pleased that the Working Group, in collaboration with others in the community, is also focused on what will come next – as web technology continues to be a living technology.”

Stephen Shankland offered this context: “After publishing version 4.01 in 1999, the W3C abandoned HTML development in favor of an incompatible standard called XHTML 2.0. Browser makers Mozilla and Opera weren’t happy about the decision, though, and advanced HTML on their own by founding the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG). Apple signed up, too, and ultimately the W3C chose to pick up HTML again. The WHATWG remains involved, though, meaning two groups have been overseeing the HTML revamp. WHATWG member Ian Hickson, formerly of Opera and now a Google employee, has been editor of the versions of HTML maintained both at W3C and at WHATWG.”

He continues, “The two groups have different agendas, though: Hickson prefers a ‘living standard’ approach that produces a continuously updated version of HTML, whereas the W3C is working creating a stable “snapshot” of HTML5. Consequently, Hickson stepped down from the W3C’s HTML editor position, and the W3C announced the new editors. Although some tensions remain between various individuals from the two camps, and although stewardship of the future of HTML is more complicated, the efforts aren’t separate.”

Image: Courtesy W3C