Archive for the ‘HTML’ Category

Identifiers, 404s and Document Security

Wednesday, December 12th, 2012

I am working on a draft about identifiers (using the standard <a> element) when it occurred to me that URLs could play an unexpected role in document security. (At least unexpected by me, your mileage may vary.)

What if I create a document that has URLs like:

<a href="http://server-exists.x/page-does-not.html>text content</a>

So that a user who attempts to follow the link, gets a “404″ message back.

Why is that important?

What if I am writing HTML pages at a nuclear weapon factory? I would be very interested in knowing if one of my pages had gotten off the reservation so to speak.

The server being accessed for a page that deliberately does not exist could route the contact information for an appropriate response.

Of course, I would use better names or have pages that load, while transmitting the same contact information.

Or have a very large uuencoded “password” file that burps, bumps and slowly downloads. (Always knew there was a reason to keep a 2400 baud modem around.)

Have suggestions on how to make a non-existent URL work but will save that for another day.

Posted in HTML, Identifiers, Security | No Comments »

HTML metadata for journal articles [Diversity Behind, Diversity Ahead]

Friday, November 30th, 2012

HTML metadata for journal articles by Alf Eaton.

From the post:

You’d think it would be easy to pin down an ontology for journal articles. There are basically just these properties:

  • title
  • authors[]
  • datePublished
  • abstract

But… some of those are shared with more generic classes higher up the tree, so abtract becomes description, title becomes name, author becomes creator. Each author can be a string or an object. Each author has one or more affiliations, which have addresses. The authors are in a specific order, and some of them have certain roles. There are several different dates: creation, review, update, publication.

A good listing of all the various options for bibliographic metadata.

A variety that arose in the last ten (10) years. If we pushed that back twenty (20) or thirty (30) years, even more diversity.

All of the systems mentioned are useful in their original contexts and will be supplanted by other systems over time.

But unlike humans, the components of the so-called “Semantic Web” don’t adapt to change. Or should I say they don’t adapt without the assistance of their human authors?

Any change to an ontology forces more work onto their maintainers. Perhaps that accounts for static ontologies that don’t account for prior diversity or that will will surely follow.

I have always thought, “X works with my software,” as a poor reason to adopt any particular approach. I much prefer approaches that meet my requirements, not those of a software vendor.

I first saw this in a tweet by Duncan Hull.

Posted in Bibliography, HTML, Metadata, Ontology | No Comments »

WebPlatform.org [Pump Up Web Technology Search Clutter]

Tuesday, October 9th, 2012

WebPlatform.org

From the webpage:

We are an open community of developers building resources for a better web, regardless of brand, browser or platform. Anyone can contribute and each person who does makes us stronger. Together we can continue to drive innovation on the Web to serve the greater good. It starts here, with you.

From Matt Brian:

In an attempt to create the “definitive resource” for all open Web technologies, Apple, Adobe, Facebook, Google, HP, Microsoft, Mozilla, Nokia, and Opera have joined the W3C to launch a new website called ‘Web Platform‘

The new website will serve as a single source of relevant, up-to-date and quality information on the latest HTML5, CSS3, and other Web standards, offering tips on web development and best practises for the technologies.

I first saw this at the Semanticweb.com (Angela Guess).

So, maybe having documentation, navigable and good documentation, isn’t so weird after all. ;-)

Assume I search for guidance on HTML5, CSS3, etc. Now there is a new site to add to web technology search results.

Glad to see the site, but not the addition to search clutter.

I suppose you could boost the site in response to all searches for web technology. Wonder if that will happen?

Doesn’t help your local silo of links.

Posted in CSS3, HTML, HTML5 | No Comments »

At or Near Final Calls on W3C Provenance

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012

I saw a notice today about the ontology part of the W3C work on provenance. Some of it is at final call or nearly so. If you are interested, see:

  • PROV-DM, the PROV data model for provenance;
  • PROV-CONSTRAINTS, a set of constraints applying to the PROV data model;
  • PROV-N, a notation for provenance aimed at human consumption;
  • PROV-O, the PROV ontology, an OWL2 ontology allowing the mapping of PROV to RDF;
  • PROV-AQ, the mechanisms for accessing and querying provenance;
  • PROV-PRIMER, a primer for the PROV data model.

My first impression is the provenance work is more complex than HTML 3.2 and therefore unlikely to see widespread adoption. (You may want to bookmark that link. It isn’t listed on the HTML page at the W3C, even under obsolete versions.)

Posted in HTML, Provenance | No Comments »

HTML [Lessons in Semantic Interoperability - Part 3]

Sunday, September 2nd, 2012

If HTML is an example of semantic interoperability, are there parts of HTML that can be re-used for more semantic interoperability?

Some three (3) year old numbers on usage of HTML elements:

Element Percentage
a 21.00
td 15.63
br 9.08
div 8.23
tr 8.07
img 7.12
option 4.90
li 4.48
span 3.98
table 3.15
font 2.80
b 2.32
p 1.98
input 1.79
script 1.77
strong 0.97
meta 0.95
link 0.66
ul 0.65
hr 0.37
http://webmasters.stackexchange.com/questions/11406/recent-statistics-on-html-usage-in-the-wild

Assuming they still hold true, the <a> element is by far the most popular.

Implications for a semantic interoperability solution that leverages on the <a> element?

Leave the syntax the hell alone!

As we saw in parts 1 and 2 of this series, the <a> element has:

  • simplicity
  • immediate feedback

If you don’t believe me, teach someone who doesn’t know HTML at all how to create an <a> element and verify its presence in browser. (I’ll wait.)

Back so soon? ;-)

To summarize: The <a> element is simple, has immediate feedback and is in widespread use.

All of which makes it a likely candidate to leverage for semantic interoperability. But how?

And what of all the other identifiers in the world? What happens to them?

Posted in HTML, Interoperability, Semantics | No Comments »

HTML [Lessons in Semantic Interoperability - Part 2]

Saturday, September 1st, 2012

While writing Elli (Erlang Web Server) [Lessons in Semantic Interoperability - Part 1], I got distracted by the realization that web servers produce semantically interoperable content every day. Lots of it. For hundreds of millions of users.

My question: What makes the semantics of HTML different?

The first characteristic that came to mind was simplicity. Unlike some markup languages, ;-) , HTML did not have to await the creation of WYSIWYG editors to catch on. In part I suspect because after a few minutes with it, most users (not all), could begin to author HTML documents.

Think about the last time you learned something new. What is the one thing that brings closure to the learning experience?

Feedback, knowing if your attempt at an answer is right or wrong. If right, you will attempt the same solution under similar circumstances in the future. If wrong, you will try again (hopefully).

When HTML appeared, so did primitive (in today’s terms) web browsers.

Any user learning HTML could get immediate feedback on their HTML authoring efforts.

Not:

  • After installing additional validation software
  • After debugging complex syntax or configurations
  • After millions of other users do the same thing
  • After new software appears to take advantage of it

Immediate feedback means just that immediate feedback.

The second characteristic is immediate feedback.

You can argue that such feedback was an environmental factor and not a characteristic of HTML proper.

Possibly, possibly but if such a distinction is possible and meaningful, how does it help with the design/implementation of the next successful semantic interoperability language?

I would argue by whatever means, any successful semantic interoperability language is going to include immediate feedback, however you classify it.

Posted in HTML, Interoperability, Semantics, Web Server | No Comments »

Creating Your First HTML 5 Web Page [HTML5 - Feature Freeze?]

Saturday, August 18th, 2012

Creating Your First HTML 5 Web Page by Michael Dorf.

From the post:

Whether you have been writing web pages for a while or you are new to writing HTML, the new HTML 5 elements are still within your reach. It is important to learn how HTML 5 works since there are many new features that will make your pages better and more functional. Once you get your first web page under your belt you will find that they are very easy to put together and you will be on your way to making many more.

To begin, take a look at this base HTML page we will be working with. This is just a plain-ol’ HTML page, but we can start adding HTML5 elements to jazz it up!

But that’s not why I am posting it here. ;-)

A little later Michael says:

The new, simple DOCTYPE is much easier to remember and use than previous versions. The W3C is trying to stop versioning HTML so that backwards compatibility will become easier, so there are “technically” no more versions of HTML.

I’m not sure I follow on “…to stop versioning HTML so that backwards compatibility will become easier….”

Unless that means that HTML (5 I assume) is going into a feature/semantic freeze?

That would promote backwards compatibility but I am not sure is a good solution.

Just curious if you have heard the same?

Comments?

Posted in HTML, HTML5, WWW | No Comments »

23 Useful Online HTML5 Tools

Friday, December 30th, 2011

23 Useful Online HTML5 Tools

Just in case you are working on delivery of topic maps using HTML5.

I am curious about the “Are you aware that HTML5 is captivating the web by leaps and bounds?” lead off line.

Particularly when I read articles like: HTML5: Current progress and adoption rates.

Or the following quote from: HTML5 Adoption Might Hurt Apple’s Profit, Research Finds

The switch from native apps to HTML5 apps will not happen overnight. At the moment, HTML5 apps have some problems that native apps do not. HTML5 apps are typically slower than native apps, which is a particularly important issue for games. An estimated 20 percent of mobile games will most likely never be Web apps, Bernstein said.

Furthermore, there are currently differences in Web browsers across mobile platforms that can raise development costs for HTML5 apps. They can also pose a greater security risk. This can result in restricting access to underlying hardware by handset manufacturers to reduce the possible impact of these risks.

Taking all this into account, Bernstein Research reckoned that HTML5 will mature in the next few years, which will in turn have an impact on Apple’s revenue growth. Nevertheless, the research firm, which itself makes a market in Apple, still recommended investing in the company.

Apple executives are reported to be supporters of HTML5. Which makes sense if you think about it. By the time HTML5 matures enough to be a threat, Apple will have moved on, leaving the HTML5ers to fight over what is left in a diminishing market share. Supporting a technology that makes your competition’s apps slower and less secure makes sense as well.

How are you using HTML5 with topic maps?

Posted in HTML, Web Applications | No Comments »

These Aren’t the Sites You’re Looking For: Building Modern Web Apps

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

These Aren’t the Sites You’re Looking For: Building Modern Web Apps

Interesting promo for HTML5, which is a developing way to deliver interaction with a topic map.

The presentation does not focus on use of user feedback, the absence of which can leave you with a “really cool” interface that no one outside the development team really likes. To no small degree, it is good interface design with users that tells the tale, not how the interface is seen to work on the “other” side of the screen.

BTW, the slides go out of their way to promote the Chrome browser. Browser usage statistics, you do the math. Marketing is a matter of numbers, not religion.

If you are experimenting with HTML5 as a means to interact with a topic map engine, would appreciate a note when you are ready to go public.

Posted in HTML, Interface Research/Design | No Comments »

HTML5 web dev reading list

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

HTML5 web dev reading list

I am sure there are more of these than can be easily counted.

Suggestions on others that will be particularly useful for people developing topic map interfaces? (Should not be different from effective interfaces in general.)

Thanks!

Posted in HTML, Interface Research/Design | No Comments »

The Simple Way to Scrape an HTML Table: Google Docs

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

The Simple Way to Scrape an HTML Table: Google Docs

From the post:

Raw data is the best data, but a lot of public data can still only be found in tables rather than as directly machine-readable files. One example is the FDIC’s List of Failed Banks. Here is a simple trick to scrape such data from a website: Use Google Docs.

OK, not a great trick but if you are in a hurry it may be a useful one.

Of course, I get the excuse from local governments that their staff can’t export data in useful formats (I get images of budget documents in PDF files, how useful is that?).

Posted in Data Mining, HTML | No Comments »

Open – Videos

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

Open – Videos

For those of you who don’t think HTML5 and developers are all that weird:

Full-length videos from the first two TimesOpen events, HTML5 and Beyond, and Innovating Developer Culture, are now available. Approximately five (5!) hours in total, there’s a lot of good information.

We have the lineup in place for the next TimesOpen on Personalization & Privacy, taking place Tuesday October 25, 6:30 p.m., at the Times Building. Details and registration information will be posted soon (like next week).

Posted in Conferences, HTML | No Comments »

HTML Data Task Force

Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

HTML Data Task Force, chaired by Jeni Tennison.

Another opportunity to participate in important work at the W3C without a membership. The “details” of getting diverse formats to work together.

Close analysis may show the need for changes to syntaxes, etc., but as far as mapping goes, topic maps can take syntaxes as they are. Could be an opportunity to demonstrate working solutions for actual use cases.

From the wikipage:

This HTML Data Task Force considers RDFa 1.1 and microdata as separate syntaxes, and conducts a technical analysis on the relationship between the two formats. The analysis discusses specific use cases and provide guidance on what format is best suited for what use cases. It further addresses the question how different formats can be used within the same document when required and how data expressed in the different formats can be combined by consumers.

The task force MAY propose modifications in the form of bug reports and change proposals on the microdata and/or RDFa specifications, to help users to easily transition between the two syntaxes or use them together. As with all such comments, the ultimate decisions on implementing these will rest with the respective Working Groups.

Further, the Task Force should also produce a draft specifications of mapping algorithms from an HTML+microdata content to RDF, as well as a mapping of RDFa to microdata’s JSON format. These MAY serve as input documents to possible future recommendation track works. These mappings should be, if possible, generic, i.e., they should not be dependent on any particular vocabulary. A goal for these mappings should be to facilitate the use of both formats with the same vocabularies without creating incompatibilities.

The Task Force will also consider design patterns for vocabularies, and provide guidance on how vocabularies should be shaped to be usable with both microdata and RDFa and potentially with microformats. These patterns MAY lead to change proposals of existing (RDF) vocabularies, and MAY result in general guidelines for the design of vocabularies for structured data on the web, building on existing community work in this area.

The Task Force liaises with the SWIG Web Schemas Task Force to ensure that lessons from real-world experience are incorporated into the Task Force recommendations and that any best practices described by the Task Force are synchronised with real-world practice.

The Task Force conducts its work through the public-html-data-tf@w3.org mailing list (use this link to subscribe or look at the public archives), as well as on the #html-data-tf channel of the (public) W3C IRC server.

Posted in HTML, Microdata, RDFa, W3C | No Comments »