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Written by Cat Leaver
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Thursday, 18 August 2011 10:53 |
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As part of my mission to grow and share a greater knowledge base in all things digital, I decided to discuss the newest trends in web technology with our Senior Developer and web whiz kid Hadrien Jouet. As a follow-on to my interview with Senior Designer, Aidan Martin, Hadrien also gave me his opinion on HTML5 and how it integrates with other modern technologies, in particular CSS3.
For the uninitiated, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a computing language used to control the style and format of documents written in a markup lanuguage, such as HTML5. CSS3 is the latest standard for CSS, which allows web developers to build clean, user-friendly, web pages with rich content. The combination of HTML5 and CSS3 allows our developers and designers to create up-to-date, accessible and efficient websites, which integrate new functionalities and media to engage and retain customers.
What new technologies are making the biggest impact on your daily working life and why? 
- HTML5 and CSS3 are changing the way web development and design function.
- With HTML5 and CSS3, features that used to be largely dominated by Flash, such as videos, transformations and vectors, can now be implemented with open technologies that take full advantage of the browser and are not intrusive for the user.
- As more and more browsers grow to support these technologies, they have also evolved to make considerably more resources available to webpages for designers and developers (in no small part by making proper use of graphics acceleration).
How does HTML5 advance markup language?
- HTML5 is much more ‘syntaxically’ correct. It does away with a number of redundant features introduced by its predecessors, whilst adding a number of new ones, and encourages well-formed, data-driven content.
- Seasoned HTML users will already be well acquainted with many of the features in this latest version and new elements tend to build upon existing structures, facilitating the switch to HTML5.
How quickly will these technologies infiltrate the market?
- Even though we are just getting rid of Internet Explorer 6, which has plagued the web for nearly eight years by slowing down the development process, a large portion of the browsers currently in use are still not compliant with a number of current technologies, let alone HTML5 and CSS3.
- The browsers that are compliant with new web technologies are doing a relatively good job at it, unfortunately most of these browsers jumped the guns and started expanding HTML5 and CSS3 by their own accord, even though the standards had not yet been properly defined. This introduces a fragmentation similar to the one witnessed about ten years ago, which causes a considerable amount of additional effort for web developers and designers who want to target all platforms.
- While this is widely accepted, the transition also requires all web developers and designers to move on and learn the new technologies. Not only does this require time and money, but this also means that best practices will take a while to settle in.
- Similarly clients who are not particularly tech-savvy and had to learn HTML4 for content formatting and such, will now have to learn HTML5, meaning additional training costs.
What recommendations would you make to improve the use of these technologies?
- In an ideal world, all major browser makers will agree on a standard way of implementing, well, standards.
- Flash and other intrusive technologies will be supplanted by proper web standards that run as an integral part of the browser.
- Medium to large organisations' IT departments (the biggest culprits for the slow upgrade process of browsers) will realise that to take full advantage of new web technologies and save resources in the long-term compliant browsers have to be used, as well as updated on a regular basis.
- HTML and CSS will grow to provide additional features, particularly to do with media handling.
So what conclusions can I draw from my discussion with Hadrien? Well, whether a developer, designer or complete tech-ignoramus it is clear that HTML5 and CSS3 are going to change the game dramatically. Those working behind the scenes of web development and design should already understand the ins and outs of these technologies and how they have impacted upon our industry. Whilst HTML5 offers an enhanced experience for modern browser users, it maintains its aesthetics, as best possible, to present readable content in even the most prehistoric of browsers. Nonetheless, it is crucial is that companies and users begin to recognise the benefits in keeping their browsers up-to-date in order to get the most out of the ever-evolving World Wide Web and its new technologies.
Moreover, where HTML5 truly triumphs is being forward thinking whilst not forgetting the past and those who may not move at quite the same pace.
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