As the technologies around HTML5 continue to develop, people need a
better way to distinguish the more experimental parts of HTML5 from the
parts ready for use in mainstream sites. The recent browser technology kerfuffle
around WebSockets offers a clear example of the problem that developers
and consumers will face again and again over support for emerging
standards.
With many HTML5 technologies still under active development, our approach is to give developers better choices and avoid false dichotomies
around standards support. The IE9 browser has site-ready HTML5 support
that developers and consumers can depend on. We will also offer
developers “HTML5 Labs” for more experimental technologies still under development. By clearly separating prototype implementations from mainstream browser product ones, we can avoid many negative consequences.
In the IE9 product, we’re delivering on the key parts of HTML5 that are site-ready.
IE9 offers support for real-world web patterns that developers are
using today as well as the HTML5 patterns we expect to become more
mainstream. IE9 does this because we want to improve interoperability
on the web by providing developers a consistent programming model
through the same mark-up. The goal is supporting great new
capabilities, ideally in a way that interoperates or will interoperate
soon across browsers.
We will also offer prototype implementations for the more
experimental or unfinished parts of HTML5 that some developers may want
to try, but consumers can’t depend on yet. We will be explicit about
the implementations that are more prototype than product. These
prototypes are how we balance providing a product for millions of
consumers while actively engaging in speculative technology discussions
with developers and enthusiasts and avoid confusing either group. You
can read more about that here.