HTML was created by TIM BERNERS-LEE.This is a universally understood language,a kind of publishing mother tongue that all computers may potentially understand.
HTML 4.0 recommendation slow downs the pace of HTML standards.It has intergrated companion technologies,such as scripting and stylesheets,and made room for a plethora of outside content such as plug-ins and applets.HTML 4.0 picks up the pieces left behind by the W3C at HTML 3.2 started life as HTML 3.0,which included for many of the features found in HTML 4.0.HTML,the standards process became a reflection of currently accepted practice and adoption of proprietary markup.
After release of HTML 3.2,the members of the W3C HTML working Group,together with other W3C groups and subcommittees,regrouped and refocused their efforts.The result in an HTML specification that returns to the roots of a structured language while implementing powerful means to control appearance and allowances for up-and-coming dynamic behavior.
The address for the final ,HTML4.0 recommendation is http://www.w3.org/tr/REC-html4.0
| New Features | Deprecated features | Dead features |
There are several new elements and features in HTML4.0.One of the first notable difference is the support of identification and event capturing for practically every element in the body of the web page.The id attribute is supported for everything from heading to tables to blockquotes and all points in between.By assigning a unique name to a element ,you can reference it for anchors,stylesheets,scripting and other advanced HTML features.
With the advent of Dynamic HTML(a term coined by Microsoft and Netscape)and document-wide scripting,events are now supported within the standard for virtually every element,including images,anchors,paragraphs,tables(including individual rows,cells,and columns),and other inline block elements.
Another important feature of HTML4.0 is the shift from element-based apperance features(such as <b> for bold)to stylesheets.This shift is the result of a long-standing debate between HTML pursuits and WEB page designers.
The HTML object element was expanded to encompass virtually any external file you could possibly place on your Web page,including applets,embedded controls,plug-ins,images,sounds,and anything else that comes to your mind. One faction is also arguing to use OBJECT in place of IFRAME for the inline frames.
| New Features | Deprecated features | Dead features |
Deprecated features is an element or attribute that has been part of previous HTML standards,These items are left in the standard for the current revision,The deprecated elements includes CENTER,FONT,STRIKE,and U.In addition to the deprecated appearance tags,the appearance attributes for many elements are also in the way out.These include color information in the <body> tag.
Other elements that are to be disposed are:
- APPLET:Introduced by Netscape to support java applets,this element's role is now filled by object,which has been expanded to serve all file insertion tasks.
- ISINDEX:This element is used to generate a text feild to input a search term for a Web index.This function has now been shifted to forms and CGI scripts
- DIR and MENU:These elements are essentially required for duplicating the functions of the unordered listed element UL.They were placed in this category because most of the browsers don't really distinguish between these two elements and an unordered list.
| New Features | Deprecated features | Dead features |
This is the bone yard of obsolete elements that are no longer found anywhere in the HTML standard.
The three elements that were axed in HTML4.0 are XMP,PLAINTEXT and LISTING.
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