[thelist] Web Standards Charter - An Open Letter To WaSP

RUST Randal RRust at COVANSYS.com
Tue Oct 4 09:21:44 CDT 2005


Vlad Alexander wrote:

> In an Open Letter to WaSP, we are proposing that WaSP should 
> take the initiative and lead a campaign to change to how we 
> in the Web Standards community communicate Web Standards to 
> newcomers.

I read your letter, and while I think the idea is good, I think you are
preaching to the choir. A charter is only going to be useful if it is
directed at the right people.

Quoting from your letter...

"Web Standards are failing to break into mainstream development because
the Web Standards community does not speak with a unified voice."

How is a charter going to make this better? Only education can do that.
The goal should be to get WaSP to get into the schools and get the
people who are teaching web design and development to teach standards.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, but you can teach the pup plenty
of tricks.

And I have to say, this comment is a total turnoff...

"Once they have gained confidence, newcomers can join us in ongoing
debates about Web Standards, adding to the strength and diversity of our
community."

This gives a sense of elitism, one of the very things that people don't
like about the whole standards movement.

----------
Randal Rust
Covansys Corporation
Columbus, OH


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