Code Expression by Raisa Lumpas

HTML5 — The Cutting-edge Markup Language for the Web

7, June 2010 • By Raisa • Comments 1

HTML or HyperText Markup Language, the predominant markup language for web pages, has gone through a lot of changes and adaptations. The latest version of which is HTML5.

According to html5.org,

HTML5 is a new version of HTML and XHTML. The HTML5 draft specification defines a single language that can be written in HTML and XML.

It attempts to solve issues found in previous iterations of HTML and addresses the needs of Web Applications, an area previously not adequately covered by HTML.

Two groups are working on HTML5, the WHATWG or Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group and the W3C or World Wide Web Consortium.

It’s worth noting that these two groups initially did not get along well. With one being a “rebel” group founded from the other. In A Brief History of Markup, Jeremy Keith tells us this side of the story.

A rebellion formed within the W3C. The consortium seemed to be formulating theoretically pure standards unrelated to the needs of web designers. Representatives from Opera, Apple, and Mozilla were unhappy with this direction. They wanted to see more emphasis placed on formats that allowed the creation of web applications.

Things came to a head in a workshop meeting in 2004. Ian Hickson, who was working for Opera Software at the time, proposed the idea of extending HTML to allow the creation of web applications. The proposal was rejected.

The disaffected rebels formed their own group: the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group, or WHATWG for short.

So, how did these two opposing group come to work together? Mark Pilgrim tells us how at Dive Into HTML5′s – A Quite Biased History of HTML5.

For several years, the W3C and the WHAT Working Group largely ignored each other. While the WHAT Working Group focused on web forms and new HTML features, the W3C HTML Working Group was busy with version 2.0 of XHTML.

But by October 2006, it was clear that the WHAT Working Group had picked up serious momentum, while XHTML 2 was still languishing in draft form, unimplemented by any major browser.

In October 2006, Tim Berners-Lee, the founder of the W3C itself, announced that the W3C would work together with the WHAT Working Group to evolve HTML.

As the saying goes, two heads are better than one! So with the two groups getting along and moving forward, when can we expect HTML5 to be ready? When can we start using HTML5?

Jeremy Keith has this as an answer,

What really matters is when browsers start supporting features. We began using parts of CSS 2.1 as soon as browsers started shipping with support for those parts. If we had waited for every browser to completely support CSS 2.1 before we started using any of it, we would still be waiting.

It’s no different with HTML5. There won’t be a single point in time at which we can declare that the language is ready to use. Instead, we can start using parts of the specification as web browsers support those features.

And there has been a good number of sites that have been implemented using HTML5. A collection of which can be found at the HTML5 Gallery. If you want to see HTML5 in action, visit the gallery and see how people interpreted and implemented the HTML5 specification in their websites.

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Write When Inspired, Rest When Tired

2, June 2010 • By Raisa • Comments 0

A few days ago, I attended the first ever blog camp in Cebu. I was very excited to share what transpired during the fun-filled event and I was very eager to talk about what I learned from the keynote speakers. I even posted on Facebook that I would write a post about it on my blog, on that same day.

I was tired and hyped at the same time.

I didn’t mind about being tired and sleepy. I didn’t care if my eyes were only half open. The increasing tension on my neck and shoulder didn’t bother me. I didn’t care about anything else except writing about the event — at once!

My thinking cap wouldn’t fit.

I spent a couple of minutes forcing my thinking cap on but it wouldn’t fit. I couldn’t put my ideas into words, perhaps my ideas where just too incomprehensible at that time that even I couldn’t get it. The harder I pushed my mind into deep thinking and concentration, the fuzzier the ideas get.

Hold it back until it’s ready — a sound decision.

Finally, after wasting more time and exhausting my self further, I stopped and decided to get some sleep. Rather than hurriedly produce a blog post with terrible content, I decided to hold it back until it was ready.

If I had stayed up and published what I’ve written that night, I could have been the first one to blog about the event but — I could also have given you something not worth reading.

P.S.

I got the title (and inspiration) of this post from Jeffrey Zeldman’s Write When Inspired which I was able to find through reading Tiffani Jone’s Reminder to Write When Inspired.

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Secure your Search — Use Encrypted Google Web Search

28, May 2010 • By Raisa • Comments 0

Google uses SSL.

A beta version for Encrypted Google Web Search, which uses SSL technology, has been launched. This allows you to search over Google without other people intercepting what you’re searching for – secured search.

What’s SSL?

Have you noticed web addresses starting with “https” or those with a browser lock icon? These sites use a technology that is called Secure Sockets Layer or simply SSL. SSL connections are used to encrypt information that travels between your computer and a website.

Try it Now!

Head over to https://www.google.com (don’t forget the S) and search more securely with encrypted Google web search.

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Blogging is Not as Easy as it Looks

27, May 2010 • By Raisa • Comments 0

With plenty of free blogging sites where you can start your own blog, it’s definitely easy to jump in the bandwagon and be a blogger yourself. Free blog sites like WordPress and Blogger allow you to create blogs in as fast as five minutes. Without a doubt, blogging is something you can easily get into.

However, the biggest challenge lies in consistently providing readers with relevant content. Regularly coming up with fresh content that readers will want to read is actually difficult.

If you want to become a blogger, be ready to encounter moments wherein you’re simply at loss for things to write or ideas to share to your audience. Though this may be temporary, it can be a tough situation to deal with specially if you want to be the best in your field.

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WordCamp Philippines 2010

24, May 2010 • By Raisa • Comments 6

The 3^rd WordCamp Philippines 2010 is about to unfold! And it will be happening on October 2, 2010 at the College of St. Benilde along Taft Avenue, Manila.

WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress.

WordCamps are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users like you. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other. WordCamps are open to WordPress.com and WordPress.org users alike.

WordCamp Philippines has been one of the most anticipated blogging events in the Philippine blogosphere. This year’s event is sure to be bigger and better than the previous ones. WordPress developer and Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg will grace the event with his presence. So be sure not to miss this one out!

What You Can Do, Today

The event is still in the planning stages and I will be posting for more updates as soon as they are available. For now, here are a couple of things I encourage you to do.

Check out the WordCamp Philippines website, post comments and suggestions. Your thoughts and ideas can greatly contribute to the success of this event.
Participate in the WordCamp Philippines 2010 survey. Help the organizing team serve us better during the event. They are asking for infos like the amount you’re willing to shed for this event and the topics you’d like to be included in the program. You must have a blog though in order to participate in the survey.
Help spread the word about WordCamp Philippines 2010 bytelling your friends, co-workers, classmates and the whole neighborhood or you can also blog, tweet or write on walls about it.

I am so excited about this event. I do hope that this year’s WordCamp Philippines will be free of charge so that more participants will be encouraged to join, especially those very interested people coming from the far regions. This will be a big help considering they will have to pay for their fare and accommodation.

WordCamp Philippines 2010 is being organized by Avatar Media.

If you’re interested to see the WordCamp schedules around the world, visit the WordCampCentral website.

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