Question

Web standards comprise many dependent specifications and standards that manage features of the World Wide Web and the Internet. Such standards affect the development and administration of web sites and web pages. Considerations include the usability, accessibility and interoperability of web pages and web services.

Discuss the web interoperability including its advantages.

Answer 1

Web interoperability implies that the content developed for the web, i.e., web pages remain fully functional or compatible for accessing and viewing across all the popular browsers and across all the popular operating systems and across all the devices having varying screen sizes and aspect ratios with a condition that all those devices are based on the latest standards of the web.

It basically implies adhering to the latest HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) standards defined by W3C (the World Wide Web Consortium), the highest body governing the World Wide Web which was founded and presently headed by Tim Berners-Lee. This term was coined under the Web Interoperability Pledge which states that web pages are built as per the latest HTML recommendations.

It all started with the popular browser war between two of the most popular web browsers then, Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. The need for an organisation that promoted web-interoperability resulted in the formation of (WS-I) the Web Services Interoperability Organisation. It was a cross-industry project that aimed at increasing the web services that were interoperable and hence promoted greater reach of the internet across various platforms (OS), devices, applications and programming languages across the globe (Internet).Besides that, it also renders full support to the companies willing to establish best practices in the web and technologies involved.

The WS-I monitors existing standards for web interoperability and creates recommendations based on the findings and research. It was founded by the joint venture of two technology giants Microsoft and IBM.

The various advantages are:

1. It enabled web content to be browser, platform and device independent.
2. It regularly monitors and recommends the amendments required in the standards and thus ensures availability of information and content across the devices around the globe.
3. Web interoperability ensures reliable and consistent web services, be it e-mail, networking or communication.
4. Web interoperability greatly reduces the cost factor which would otherwise arise out of inconsistencies in compatibility of web services across different platforms thereby requiring the same content/service to be reconstructed/redeveloped for compatible support in varying platforms.
5. It enables flexibility and ease of development of the content by defining standards and thus establishing harmony in the web development fraternity.