Microsoft jumps on HTML5 bandwagon

“Microsoft is building a new version of Internet Explorer that will support the HTML5 standard, opening the gates for developers to create more interactive Web sites,” Sharon Pian Chan reports for The Seattle Times.

“The company made the announcement Tuesday at its MIX conference for Web developers, saying a platform preview for Internet Explorer 9 is ready for developers to kick the tires,” Chan reports. “‘We’re all in’ for HTML5, said Windows division President Steve Sinofsky.”

“‘We are really happy to see Microsoft catching up on standards and implementing things developers really like to use,’ said Chris Blizzard, director of evangelism at Mozilla, which has been building HTML5 standards into Firefox over several versions. ‘We’ve been frustrated that it’s taken a long time’ for Microsoft, but we’re happy to see they’re doing it.’ Blizzard said Microsoft’s platform preview does not include some key HTML5 features, such as support for playing video and audio without a plug-in and a drawing feature called Canvas,” Chan reports.

One of the challenges Microsoft faces is that HTML5 would compete with Silverlight, Microsoft’s Web software for video and animation online,” Chan reports. “‘When it gets approved, it can replace [Adobe] Flash or Silverlight,’ said Matt Rosoff, analyst at Kirkland-based independent research firm Directions on Microsoft. ‘Silverlight reverses HTML5.’ For now, Microsoft is pushing both at developers at the conference in Las Vegas.”

Full article here.

Source: MacDailyNews