Websites using Whatwg

Okay, let s break down the WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group), its purpose, and how it relates to business aspects like revenue, alternatives, pricing (or lack thereof), and customer care.

What is the WHATWG?

• Not a Company, But a Consortium: The WHATWG isn t a for-profit company, nor is it a governmental organization. It s a community of people working on the HTML and DOM standards, among other web specifications. Think of it as a collaborative working group, not a service provider.
• Focus on Web Standards: The WHATWG s primary goal is to develop and maintain living standards for technologies like HTML, the Document Object Model (DOM), and related APIs. These are the very foundations upon which web pages and applications are built.
• Open Source & Collaborative: The WHATWG operates transparently, with open development processes. Anyone can participate in discussions, propose changes, and contribute code.
• Independent from W3C: While the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is another well-known standards body, the WHATWG and the W3C have different approaches and scopes. Originally, they collaborated, but now the WHATWG is the primary driver for HTML.

Revenue Model

• No Direct Revenue: Because it s a working group, the WHATWG does not generate revenue. There are no products or services to buy from them.

• Funded Through Members & Related Activities: The resources for its operation come indirectly. Often, large tech companies who benefit from web standards, such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla, may:

  • Employ people who contribute directly to the WHATWG.
  • Provide server infrastructure.
  • Fund standards development efforts.

• It s a Public Good: Think of it like a shared public infrastructure for the web. Its maintenance is supported by contributions from those who have a vested interest in its smooth functioning.

Alternatives to the WHATWG

• No Direct Replacement: There isn t a direct competitor or alternative to the WHATWG in the sense of a different standards-setting body producing comparable living web standards.
• Historical Precedence: W3C: While the W3C still exists, it has largely adopted WHATWG s HTML and DOM specifications. The W3C s focus is now on other standards.
• Proprietary Approaches are NOT Alternatives: Some companies might try to push their own specific web technologies. However, these are not standards in the same sense and would likely hinder interoperability, which is the core problem that web standards are trying to solve.
• Adhering to the Standards is the Key: The real alternative in practice is whether or not a browser or website implements the WHATWG standards accurately. The alternative is not using the standard, which leads to browser incompatibilities and a bad user experience.

Pricing

• Free to Use: The WHATWG specifications are entirely free for anyone to access, download, and use. This is crucial for the web s openness and accessibility.
• No Licensing Fees: There are no licensing fees involved in implementing or using the standards.
• Implicit Cost to Implement: While the standard itself is free, there are real costs to companies and developers who implement these specifications, such as the engineering time required to create browsers or code websites.

Customer Care Details

• No Direct Customer Support: The WHATWG doesn t provide customer support in the traditional sense, such as answering individual questions about specific web development issues.
• Community-Driven Support: Support is available, but it s through these channels:
  • The WHATWG Community: There s an active community that discusses the standards, reports bugs, and proposes new features on forums like GitHub.
  • Web Developer Communities: For general questions about using web technologies, the broader web development community is the primary support system (e.g., Stack Overflow, web dev forums).
  • Browser Vendor Support: If it s a question of a bug in a specific browser implementation, reporting that bug to the browser vendor is best.
• Focus on Standards Clarity: The main goal is to make the specifications as clear and unambiguous as possible. This reduces confusion and promotes better implementations, which can prevent support requests from developers.
• Transparency: All discussions, proposals, and changes to the specifications are publicly accessible. This helps the whole community to stay informed and participate in improving them.

In Summary

• The WHATWG is the driving force behind HTML and related web standards.
• It s a collaborative, non-profit organization.
• It doesn t have a revenue model in the traditional sense; it s funded through industry contribution.
• There s no pricing for its specifications; they are free for all to use.
• Support is primarily community-based, not direct customer service.
• It s essential to the web ecosystem and relies on open collaboration and the efforts of individual contributors and companies that are invested in the future of the web.

Hopefully, this overview is helpful in understanding the unique role and structure of the WHATWG. Let me know if you have any other questions.