Is it just me, or does anybody else think HTML5 is going to be rubbish?
I understand it’s still in draft form and from what I last read if it carries on at the rate of progressions it’s currently at, we’ll have a recommendation by 2022. By which point we’ll be needing HTML6 or whatever’s next.
Bloated
HTML5 seems to be a step backwards as far as I’m concerned. How can creating new elements, e.g. <nav> for, yes you guessed it navigation be an improvement. It’s just a container, like a <div> but with a more semantic name. We’re still going to have to put an unordered list inside it.
Why can’t we have a nice feature like what’s been proposed for XHTML2? Why can’t we have a navigation list(<nl>)?
Most people use lists for navigation, using XHTML2 we’ve removed the need for a container around the list. Producing leaner, more semantic code.
Nice features
HTML5 does have some nice features such as the new <video> element. It will simplify adding video content to a web page, basically you won’t have to use the 5 lines usually required for the <object> element. It’ll just require a src attribute to make it work.
Improvements
Is HTML5 going to include nice little features, such as being able to add href to any element to turn it into a link? This would be a good feature and something I think modern day developers require. I know I do.
Right now
Right now, you can use many elements from HTML5 and all of the major browsers support many different features. More information on what you can use can be found at When can I use.
More information can be found on HTML5 and XHTML2 on the following sites.
Robert O'Rourke - June 23, 2009
Good point about the href on any element thing. It keeps getting snubbed because the browser vendors say it’s too difficult to implement (nested links would be valid and a nightmare by the sounds of it).
I think if the <a> tag was redefined to be allowed to contain block elements it’d at least be a start.
I still write XHTML myself, just because I like the style of it but it’s getting to the point where I could care less about the flavour of HTML used so long as whatever gets made is frickin awesome.