“The Windows version of IE 5.5 has come under heavy fire from
the Web Standards Project (WaSP), a grouping of web developers
which lobbies for standards and an end to fragmentation in browser
development. WaSP accuses Microsoft of abandoning Web standards it
has publicly committed to supporting, and instead “focussing on
proprietary technologies which are certain to fragment the
already-troubled Web space.””
“…the outfit did offer Microsoft its congratulations on its
“thorough implementation of HTML 4 and CSS 1” in the Mac version of
IE 5 last month. That was a case of ‘good work, but should try
harder,’ as WaSP then pointed out that “no browser can be
considered fully standards-compliant until it supports XML and the
DOM,” and urged Microsoft to get on with it.”
“But with IE5.5 for Windows, Microsoft isn’t supporting “the DOM
Level 1 core and portions of the CSS1 specification.” Says WaSP
group leader Jeffrey Zeldman: “We are incensed by Microsoft’s
arrogance, and perplexed by its schizophrenic decision to support
standards on one platform while undercutting them on another.”
This will have the result that developers “will be helplessly spun
in Microsoft’s direction,” because they’ll have to write for the
dominant platform, rather than to standards.”