99.9% of websites obsolete

[Richard Harrison]

Hi, All,

I see much of this as the latest battle in the constant war between the desire 
to subscribe to wonderful, new, normative models and practical considerations of 
allocating limited resources. The normative ideal of creating consistent, 
indefinitely extensible structure and content under universal standards promises 
to reduce costs for support, maintenance, and new development and to ensure 
entirely general inclusion of all users. The recognition that the target 
community is not yet globally prepared to receive pages formulated under the 
strictures of the current ideal demands decisions as to the degree of 
multiplicity which the provider can afford to offer. We operate currently in a 
highly transitional state. The web is still tremendously immature as a subset of 
a relatively young applied technology discipline, i.e., information science and 
engineering. 

Much of the current debate reflects our discomfort at being required to relegate 
the interests of some potential customers to the category "marginal." We know 
that it is often required, because we are too few in number to serve everyone 
equally, but that does not make the determination pleasantly palatable. 

Let's recognize that, for the most part, the level of our intent to serve is 
similarly high. That some of us have access to greater resources is merely a 
fact of local economics. We'll all grow together as standards evolve and become 
increasingly accepted by browser manufacturers. As more users adopt browsers 
compliant with modern standards, much of our "problem" will vanish. In the mean 
time, lists such as this provide a forum in which to seek and share solutions 
and express sympathy and support in a practically productive fashion.

Best Regards,
<geek>Richard</geek>

"The problem in the main is not that humans don't know anything but that they 
'know' so much that's wrong."