Received an email this evening asking to quote for a site. The client seems quite savvy and specifically asked for it to implement HTML5.

 

Is this really viable, even worth considering, seeing as HTML5 isn't officially 'in use' so to speak and the fact that the markup will probably change before it gets finalised?

 

I am aware some elements do work in most modern browsers but is it really a good idea to build the whole site on this yet??

I wouldn't refuse to use HTML5, I would just check browser compatibility here

http://www.findmebyip.com/litmus/

and use the features that most older browsers will process.

 

Also older IE won't process styles for new tags like <header>, <aside>, <video> or <canvas> so IE won't recognise width, height, margins or other layout or styling codes but you can make IE process existing styles and display like modern browsers as shown on blancer.com website.

http://blancer.com/tutorials/wp/15301/10-ways-to-make-internet-explorer-act-like-a-modern-browser/

Note the conditional comment enclosing the link to the javascript file which enables new HTML5 tags to be styled:-

 

<!--[if IE]>

<script src="http://html5shiv.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/html5.js"></script>

<![endif]-->

 

Note that the above script won't make features that need processing like <video> actually work, it will only enable you to style the tags.

Depends what they want to use from HTML5.

Using the HTML5 doctype, a couple of tags and validating it all would pass it as HTML5 pretty easy. My guess is your client knows the term but the content.

 

I very much doubt much will change with HTML5 between now and when it's complete in 2014.

I wouldn't refuse to use HTML5, I would just check browser compatibility here

http://www.findmebyip.com/litmus/

and use the features that most older browsers will process.

 

Also older IE won't process styles for new tags like <header>, <aside>, <video> or <canvas> so IE won't recognise width, height, margins or other layout or styling codes but you can make IE process existing styles and display like modern browsers as shown on blancer.com website.

http://blancer.com/tutorials/wp/15301/10-ways-to-make-internet-explorer-act-like-a-modern-browser/

Note the conditional comment enclosing the link to the javascript file which enables new HTML5 tags to be styled:-

 

<!--[if IE]>

<script src="http://html5shiv.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/html5.js"></script>

<![endif]-->

 

Note that the above script won't make features that need processing like <video> actually work, it will only enable you to style the tags.

 

 

Depends what they want to use from HTML5.

Using the HTML5 doctype, a couple of tags and validating it all would pass it as HTML5 pretty easy. My guess is your client knows the term but the content.

 

I very much doubt much will change with HTML5 between now and when it's complete in 2014.

 

It's kind of what I have been doing already really, just using the html5 doctype etc. I think they wanted the complete markup in html5 and didn't really understand why it couldn't be done yet.

You need to explain to your client that HTML5 is just an extension of the current HTML implementation not a spanking new coding language.

It's kind of what I have been doing already really, just using the html5 doctype etc. I think they wanted the complete markup in html5 and didn't really understand why it couldn't be done yet.

 

Why can't it? I have been using it for almost 8 months now. And yes, these are production sites. there is no reason why you can't especially if you know what browsers support and apply the correct fallback.

 

Its funny, people will use bits of CSS3, but when it comes to HTML5 it's almost always a all or nothing case. There is nothing preventing you from doing it now.

I'd say get stuck in with it now because there will be less to learn later on. The biggest hurdle will be getting used to applying HEADER, SECTION, ARTICLE and FOOTER tags in a logical fashion

As many as three forum moderators advise you to use HTML5.

Why hesitate, man?

You need to explain to your client that HTML5 is just an extension of the current HTML implementation not a spanking new coding language.

 

and ask the client 'why?' as well. I'm sure they must have read something somewhere or some idiot has misled them along the way.