HTML.co.uk

HTML History

HTML’s first version didn’t have the version number. HTML was just called as HTML. Back in 1989 to1995 HTML was used to put up some of the simple WebPages. HTML was standardized in the year 1995 by Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and numbered it as “HTML 2.0”.

W3C (World Wide Web consortium) presented the next version called “HTML 3.2” in 1997, in 1998 “HTML 4.0” and in 1999 “HTML 4.01” was released. Later on W3C made an announcement that, it would not be developing new versions of HTML and it would focus on extensible XHTML or HTML. W3C recommended web designers to use HTML 4.01 for their (web designers) HTML documents.

At this point of time, development of HTML split off. W3C drew its attention on XHTML 1.0 and from 2000 onwards basics of XHTML was recommended. As web designers weren’t interested to move to rigid parts of XHTML. In 2004, WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group) began to develop the new version of HTML called HTML 5 which was not as rigid as XHTML. WHATWG are hopeful that their HTML 5 version will be eventually accepted as a W3C recommendation.

Deciding which version of HTML

While writing a Webpage, the first and foremost decision is whether to write in XHTML or HTML. If a webpage designer is using an editor like dreamweaver the choice of HTML is determined by the doctype chosen. If an XHTML doctype is chosen, then the page will be written XHTML or if an HTML doctype is chosen, then the page will be written in HTML.

Now XHTML is HTML 4.0 which has been rewritten as XML application. If XHTML is written, the attributes will be quoted, tags will be closed and it could be edited in XML editor. Than XHTML, HTML is lot looser because it can leave quotes of attributes like leave tags <p> without closing </p>tag and so on.

Why HTML is used

HTML occupies lesser space, where the download speed will be higher
Response of the older browsers will be more effective to HTML than to a XHTML.
Learning HTML is an easy process because it forgives, like if the tags in HTML are left off the codes still work.

Why XHTML is used

XTML is lot clearer at the beginning and at the end by which events and styles can be added in more easily. Because XHTML is XM, it integrates well into other programming languages. Some of the browsers available respond reliably to XHTML, so that the pages are displayed consistently.

Once decided on XHTML or HTML- which of these versions should be used

HTML
In this there are 3 versions still in regular use around the net. They are:
HTML 3.2, HTML 4.0 and HTML 4.01.

XHTML
In this there are 2 versions in current use, they are:
XHTML 1.0 and XHTML 2.0.

Once decided on a version

Ensure to use a doctype. Using a doctype is one more additional line in HTML documents. By using doctype, it ensures the pages are displayed the way they are intended to be displayed

Usenet is a public discussion system which was developed to facilitate communication on the World Wide Web (WWW). Users from all over the world take part in the discussions to express their views on variety of topics and issues. Conceived by the students of the Duke University Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis in 1979, the Usenet looks like the bulletin boards and web forums. However the concept of Usenet is entirely different from these two even if the ultimate objective is same, i.e. to take part in online discussions or to broadcast certain information. The main difference between the Usenet and the Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) is that like the BBS the Usenet is not based on a central server and there is no central system owner, rather it is distributed among a large conglomeration of servers which change continuously and store and forward the Usenet messages to each other. Generally these servers operate in a loosely formed variable mesh topology.

Users of the Usenet generally read and post the messages on the local server operated by their ISP, University or by their employer. These messages are then exchanged among other servers online so that the information is available globally. The messages which the users read from or post to the Usenet are known as articles, posts, discussions or more popularly as news which are organized into different categories known as newsgroups. All the discussions are threaded with the help of news reader software. In order to use the Usenet the individuals have to subscribe themselves. Once they are logged into the user network (Usenet) the news client software application keeps track of all the activities of the users, activities like which articles they have read, the replies they have made or any new discussion initiated by them.

Generally, most of the discussions in a newsgroup are replies of some on going topics, i.e. one article is the reply of the other article. The set of articles which can be traced to one single no reply article is considered as a separate thread. Modern newsreaders display the discussions in the form of threads and sub-threads. This is very useful in case the users want to identify and follow a particular discussion in a high volume newsgroup.

Whenever a user starts a new discussion or replies to a post in a newsgroup it is available only for the users of that news server initially and then the different Usenet servers talk to each other periodically as per their configuration to copy the postings among each other and make them accessible on every network.

Usenet has its own cultural importance on the internet. It has given birth to many categories and sub-cultures and has offered millions of users an opportunity to express themselves, share their views on critical topics, help each other by giving suggestions and make friends. The messages or articles in a Usenet are transmitted in the same way the e-mails are sent. The only difference between the two is that the e-mails are restricted to their recipients but the Usenet users can access any information anytime.

HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) was developed in the year 1991. This language is used to write scripts to construct the Web pages. Though, today we have a lot of tools that are used for scripting to help in web designing the history of HTML goes back to 1991 when this was the only language for scripting to develop a Web page. The language could also be used to share documents online. This idea of sharing documents and pages was proposed by Tim Berners Lee. He is still eulogized for introducing HTML tags, which were responsible for initiating the Internet ride, ultimately helping in better communication. Initially, 22 elements were introduced in HTML, out of which 9 elements have been frozen due to upgradation. Now, we have the fourth version of HTML, which is referred to as HTML Four. The initial version of HTML Four consists of 13 elements.

HTML has its origin from SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language). SGML is a little heavy on the technical side, but it’s good to know it because it initiated the whole project of W3-World Wide Web. An SGML is usually described as a Meta language, which gives you the liberty to make use of a range of markup languages. Initially, when HTML originated, SGML tagging was used in the basic HTML, however, in the advanced stages, SGML tagging was not given any preference, as HTML could never be an appropriate SGML document.

If you wish to learn the HTML scripting, it can be learned easily and is very interesting. Continuing with the history, Lee HTML was withdrawn and a new HTML was created by the IETF. This was described as the HTML working group, which brought about a formation of HTML 2.0 version. For a difference 2.0 is the version number, which is given to this. But this 2.0 is not up to the mark for the development of a web environment, which is suitable to everyone and gives a better result. This addition requires some changes. Earlier in this 2.0 version changes were done under the guidance of IETF. In 2000 a version was released by W3C that is well known, as it possess those international standards the same as version 4.0. Presently HTML 5.0 is in demand in the market. HTML has come a long way since 1991 and it has launched many versions in the past years and from every version users have received something new to exhibit. When HTML came up with its final version, users found this version more easily applicable as compared to any other programming language, which is used for web designing.

Yesterday while surfing the net, an unusual observation made me wonder a few things. I marveled at how easily communication can be established now and our data transferred. What used to take something like ages in the past is now done in minutes. With technology growing rapidly, people seem to have been able to make things simpler for everyone to grasp. Definitely getting information, being able to communicate with a pal somewhere and also applying for a job has become easier thanks to the net. But have you ever wondered what/who masterminded this? Well programming and the answer is as simple as that. It’s the human mind which is the center for such easy communication and no miracle thankfully.

When Tim-Berners Lee wished to share documents between two computers, he did a small programming and created a language which enabled him to share the documents. This language, he called HTML tags which were but simple designs then. With time, the HTML drafts by Lee and his team faded away. IETF a new team on the block, worked on these dead drafts and got a whole new HTML developed which became the version 2.0. This version was made in the year 1995. Over the years from 1991 to 1995 a whole team worked day and night to come up with something good for technology. But version 2.0 was not the end of HTML.

During the period between the version 2.0 and the building of the other versions a request was sent by IETF for comments on various factors like form based file upload, client side image maps, tables and internationalization. All this was given to the IETF in the year 2000. A certain Dave Raggett of the IETF, came up with the version 3.0 which contained all the elements mentioned in his proposal like tables, text flow around figures, and the display of complex mathematical elements. At the time it came into existence, it was too complicated from implementation point of view and so nobody took the project ahead. But the interesting fact is that instead of proposing a 3.1 version, a 3.2 version was proposed and many of the features of version 3.0 were removed due to the complexity.

Now at the time when 3.2 came into existence, IETF had closed down and it became officially declared by the W3C. After this straight away HTML 4.0 came into existence in the year 1997. This version contained certain flavors which were strict, transitional and frameset. It adopted browser specific attributes and removed some that were of no use. In 1998 the version 4.0 was re-released with some minor additions. This version too contained the same flavors but had some more additions. Version 4.01 came into existence in the year 1999. The latest version released in 2008 is the version 5.0. This shows that HTML has particularly undergone a lot many changes in the period of 17 years. It has survived in spite of its initial dismissal.

HTML better known as Hyper Text Markup Language is a tool for writing scripts to develop web pages. It has come a long way since it came into existence for the first time in 1991.

Web designing does still use HTML but it is not the only language used for scripting. A quick glance at the history of HTML will tell you that HTML was the first language used for scripting to build a web page. It was the start language for sharing documents online. The brain behind the idea for developing a system to share documents and pages was Tim-Berners Lee. This name is still famous for the HTML tags which started the internet tour and helped make communication easier. The HTML tags consisted of a simple design for HTML. The 22 elements that were introduced in the HTML then have lost some 9 elements on its way to upgradation. The fourth version of the HTML named HTML four consists of 13 elements of the first version.

HTML is inspired from the SGML language which is Standard Generalized Markup Language. Though a little technical it is definitely good to understand SGML because it started up the whole project of W3-World Wide Web. A SGML is normally termed as a metalanguage where you are free to use various markup languages. In the basic HTML too SGML tagging was used in the initially stages but later HTML never came up to be a proper SGML document and it was preferred not to use SGML tagging any further. Upgradation did not support the SGML. Right now if you go in for programming HTML scripting is considered a baby and anyone is able to learn it. But the Lee HTML disappeared in the wind and a new HTML was created by the IETF. This HTML was the HTML working group which concluded to be the HTML 2.0 version. Now here is where we get the standard HTML on which further upgradation to make it better were made. Not many of us are aware of this history, but it is certainly interesting. Well as a matter of fact you should also know that there was no HTML 1.0 as such. There were some previous HTML and its drafts which were different from the HTML 2.0. To create the difference a version number was given and what is better then 2.0. For better results and develop a web environment suitable to all, the version 2.0 was not sufficient. Some additions were needed in this version. So additions, changes and more such work was done on the version 2.0 under the guidance of IETF for this. The version released in 2000 by the W3C is known to have an international standard which was the version 4.0. The current version running in the markets is HTML 5.0. HTML has come a long way since its inception in 1991. A lot many versions have been developed since its initial dismissal and each version found something new to exhibit to the users. The final version has made things user friendly and people definitely find HTML easier to use then any other programming language for the web designing.

Yesterday while surfing the net, an unusual observation made me wonder about a few things. Namely, how easy it was to establish communication to transfer our data. What used to take something like ages in the past is now done in minutes. With technology growing rapidly, people seem to have been able to make things simpler for everyone to grasp. Definitely getting information, being able to communicate with a pal somewhere and also applying for a job has become easier thanks to the net. But have you ever wondered who/what is the mastermind behind all this. Well it is ‘programming’ and it is as simple as that. It’s the human mind which is the centre for such easy communication and no miracle thankfully.

When Tim-Berners Lee wished to share documents between two computers, he did some programming and created a language which enabled him to share the documents. This language, he called HTML tags which were but simple a design then. With time, the HTML drafts by Lee and his team faded away. IETF, a new team on the block, worked on these dead drafts and got a whole new HTML developed which became the version 2.0. This version was made in the year 1995. Over the years from 1991 to 1995 a whole team worked day and night to come up with something good for technology. But version 2.0 was not the end of HTML. During the period between the version 2.0 and the building of the other versions a request was sent by IETF for comments on various factors like form based file upload, client side image maps, tables and internationalization. All this was given to the IETF in the year 2000. A certain Dave Raggett of the IETF, came up with the version 3.0 which contained all the elements mentioned in his proposal like tables, text flow around figures, and the display of complex mathematical elements. At the time it came into existence, it was too complicated from an implementation point of view and so nobody took the project ahead. But the interesting fact is that instead of proposing a 3.1 version, a 3.2 version was proposed and many of the features of version 3.0 were removed due to the complexity. Now at the time when 3.2 came into existence, IETF had closed down and it became officially declared the W3C. After this, HTML 4.0 came into existence straight away in the year 1997. This version contained certain flavours which were strict, transitional and frameset. It adopted browser specific attributes and removed some that were of no use. In 1998 the version 4.0 was re-released with some minor additions. This version too contained the same flavors but had some more additions. Version 4.01 came into existence in the year 1999. The latest version released in 2008 is the version 5.0. This shows that HTML particularly has undergone a lot many changes in the period of 17 years. Yet, it has survived in spite of its initial dismissal.

This element no longer plays an actual role, because modern browsers allow for one to comfortably and quickly search for text within a displayed HTML file. This element has since been classified as deprecated and soon will no longer be part of standard HTML. The following information has more of a historic character.

A HTML file can be a searchable file. This means that its content can be indexed on the server computer. However, it only makes sense to describe a file as searchable, if its content actually exists on the server computer in the form of a search index file.

With a HTML file that has been defined as searchable, an entry field appears at the beginning after loading the page in a web browser, which allows the user to enter a search keyword.

An Example:

<head>
<isindex prompt= “Please enter a search term: ”>
</head>

Explanation:

You declare a HTML file as searchable with the isindex element. You determine a text for entering a search term with the prompt attribute. The text must be inside the quotation marks.

Take Note:

If you work in XHTML standard, then you have to mark the isindex element as content less. To do so, notate the standalone tag in this format: <isindex … />.