ArtLung » Words » WebStandards.org Baseline Proposal - Original Alpha Version

For historical purposes, here is the Alpha version what became the WebStandards Project Mission Statement. If anyone has the archives of the original [stds] mailing list hosted by Glenn Davis' Project Cool I'd love to see those initial conversations which formed the genesis for the original WebStandards.org launch in the fall of 1998. From the message-id on the email, it seems like it's from November of 1998, but that would postdate the launch of WASP
- Joe Crawford. Fellow Founding Member, Web Standards Project 

   Message-Id: <4.1.19981124144454.00bb13d0@shoggoth.jamisongold.com>
   To: "Standards" <standards@mercury.projectcool.com>
   From: Joe Crawford <joec@jamisongold.com>
   Subject: Re: [stds] Welcome!
   Message-Id: <4.1.19981124144454.00bb13d0@shoggoth.jamisongold.com>
   
   George Olsen wrote:
   
   > I've been preoccupied with a hard-drive crash
   > for the past few days and I've been disappointed
   > to watch the another round of complaining over
   > the MS/NS latest "Standards? We don't need no
   > stinkin' standards...." fade yet again without
   > action.
   
   It's interesting. Could the developer "community" come up
   with something that might make a difference? I'm not sure
   I'm optimistic enough to believe we can change the course
   of organizations as enormous as Netscape and Microsoft -
   but I'm willing to do *something*.
   
   I think this list is a great start - as a communications tool.
   
   > So the question is: are people really interested
   > in trying let both companies (and the wider 
   > public) know that we developers aren't happy with
   > the situation in hopes of pressuring them to
   > change their attitude? If so, what's the best way
   > to go about it?
   
   Boy - is this the million dollar question or what.
   
   I think a vocal and public campaign is a great start. In
   the spirit of Thomas Jefferson - let's put a succinct
   statement together - a constitution of sorts - and simply
   stir people up. I'm no Mr. Jefferson - but here's a start:
   
   DEVELOPER STANDARDS BASELINE PROPOSAL
   
	 The W3C has published specs for HTML4, CSS2, etc.
	 The 5.0 Browsers are coming.
	 The 5.0 Browsers may do whatever they like.
	 We, the developers, are not againt innovation
	   and creativity.
	 Netscape and Microsoft, in releasing Browsers 
	   which do not support AT LEAST these standards
	   is an insult to the developer community, it is
	   anti-consumer, and anti-business.
	 It is time to set a baseline for the web, the 5.0
	   browsers are a terrific place to start.
	
   thoughts?
   
   Joe
   
   Joe_Crawford {
   //     http://www.jamisongold.com/
   //     mailto:joec@jamisongold.com
   //     Web Integrator | Jamison/Gold Interactive
   //                    | Marina del Rey : CA : USA
				}