Is It Time for a 'Kinder, Gentler HTML'?

jg21 writes "Via the Web 2.0 Journal, a worthy link to Yahoo! Architect and JSON inventor Douglas Crockford's latest ideas to fix HTML. He's categorically not a fan of HTML 5, which is still just an Editor's Draft and not endorsed by W3C yet. Crock puts forward ten ideas that in his view would provide extensibility without complexity, adding that the simplification of HTML he is proposing would reduce the cost of training of web developers and incorporates the best practices of AJAX development. From the article: 'The problems with HTML will not be solved by making it bigger and more complicated. I think instead we should generalize what it does well, while excising features that are problematic. HTML can be made into a general application delivery format without disrupting its original role as a document format.'"

HTML sucks...

[Anonymous Coward]

It is time for what I call binary pages.

Binary pages would be similar to Java applications. They would be created in Pagemaker. Dynamic content would be provided via Binary Page Scripting (BPS).

I think this is a great idea.

Very kindest regards,
Joe Lieberman

A 'Kinder, Gentler HTML'?

[katterjohn]

Yeah: we should make it more like C++, because HTML is just too hard.

The erosion of society

[explosivejared]

HTML 5 is strict in the formulation of HTML entities. In the past, some browsers have been too forgiving of malformed entities, exposing users to security exploits. Browsers should not perform heroics to try to make bad content displayable. Such heroics result in security vulnerabilities.

This will clearly have a negative effect on society. When the script kiddies can't "haxxor" anymore, the only alternative is DRUGS! AND DRUGS ARE EVIL!! CRIME WILL SKYROCKET!

Hmph

[moogied]

Crockford.

*waits for 5: Awesome at putting words in bold*

Re:A 'Kinder, Gentler HTML'?

[Octopus]

I've said it a million times...

Tables need pointers!

Personally, I'd rather see a meaner, harsher HTML

[ByOhTek]

One that eats babies for breakfast, at minimum.

It strikes me that would be the route to go to get rid of all these crappy, poorly done pages.

Re:A 'Kinder, Gentler HTML'?

[rucs_hack]

Nah, what we want to do is enforce the old 'AngelFire' instant web page as a worldwide standard. all backgrounds must be either animated or florescent, Text must be HUGE, all in caps with again, shocking bright colors only (preferably green on a flashing background).

I'm telling you, enforce this as a standard and the internets will be perfect...

WYSI...

[goldaryn]

WTF! [userfriendly.org]

Hell no!

[sm62704]

Kinder and gentler? Jesus, you kids today! We need an HTML that stinks like mace, has sharp barbs all over it, smokes, drinks, hires hookers, opens bottle caps with its teeth and beats the hell out of innocent policemen and then fries them with their own tasers [slashdot.org].

-mcgrew

Captain Hook

[Anonymous Coward]

HTML is like Captain Hook, He does not understand "Kinder" or "Gentler". This is blasphemy! The Internet needs monsters like this around to fight. What web developer has not shouted "My Kung-Fu is Strong!" when they finally tricked Internet Exploder into properly displaying CSS code after a few days of effort? Only to do it all over again each time Microsoft rolls out a new version of Exploder.

What would the world be without Captain Hook!

Re:Not Impressed

[suggsjc]

Hold on, I know that the web is old, but still. UTF-8? I think most every user that I know has a 32-bit computer, so if we are going to be changing things, go ahead and bump to UTF-32. But even that might now be enough since those fancy 64 bit computers are starting to gain traction. I say let the web be the technology leader and be the first to start using UTF-128. If you combine that with IPv6, every cell on earth can have a unique IP address as well as their own symbol...take THAT "the artist formally known as Prince"

Kinder? Gentler?

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

Get rid of all those sharp, pointy brackets around tags! Ouch!

Re:Not Impressed

[Randle_Revar]

<voice type="Foghorn Leghorn">It's a joke, I say it's a joke, son!</voice>

Re:Kinder? Gentler?

[F1re]

No way! Those are aerodynamic and make the html travel faster through the pipes!!