Readers of this blog know that I have been relentless in decrying the shortfalls in Microsoft’s support of W3C and other Web Standards. Microsoft has a serious amount of Ketchup to do in the Web arena. So now Microsoft announces support for SVG – about ten years late. However, there is no timetable or list of products that SVG will be enabled on. So eWeek’s Darryl Taft picks up the mixed reactions here. There was the usual, uncritical “Yippee, you are going to support standards!!” But there were some wait and see attitudes as well:
” It’s about time. Hopefully we’ll see some SVG in IE9 then, since, you got to admit it yourself, you’ve been behind in overall web standards support since IE6. The same with speed and customizability.Your browser is still far away from your competitors, but at least you are putting in some serious effort here for IE9. Unfortunately, when IE9 is finally released, the other browsers will probably be far from you again.”
or even more skeptical –
“Let’s see how long it takes Microsoft to gum up that working group and bring it to a screeching halt. Plan on showing up for any meetings? Or are you only planning on fighting all the work that went on before you like you did on JavaScript and HTML5?”
In sum, here is more independent confirmation of my reports on the malfeasance and insincerity of Redmond regarding Web standards.
But the question that Darryl raised What’s Behind Microsoft’s SVG Standards Move? deserves some consideration.
1)Microsoft is way behind on Web standards and needs to catchup.
2)Google’s acceleration to dominance in all aspects of Web-based delivery needs t0 be matched or slowed.
3)Windows Mobile probably needs SVG capabilities to match Android, iPhone, Palm.
4)Microsoft has never apologized for delaying and sabotaging basic W3C Web standards including SVG.
Hence this party would not be surprised if Microsoft were found to be on a “shape to our needs” or “delay/obstruct with the best of intentions” mission. It would be nice to report the errors in my assessment; but it seems likely I will not have to apologize.