Adult content providers looking to the mobile world as a key to their future have a boost. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has launched a Mobile Web Initiative working unit, saying it is time to elevate mobile Web access from "second-class" status. Aimed at applying existing W3C mobile Web content recommendations, the move indicates mobile Web access will become even more important and widespread very soon.
"Mobile access to the Web has been a second-class experience for far too long," offered Tim Bermers-Lee, the W3C director who is also called the "father of the World Wide Web.” "MWI recognizes the mobile device as a first-class participant, and will produce materials to help developers make the mobile Web experience worthwhile."
The MWI is comprised of two groups focusing on the best practices and device descriptions. The former will develop guidelines, checklists, and best practices for content writers, while the device description group will work to improve device descriptions, proving they have been aptly named. For those unfamiliar with device descriptions, they’re "a database of descriptions that can be used by content authors to adapt their content to a particular device," according to the W3C.
The initiative was first proposed in November 2004, and derived from an earlier W3C effort focusing on education, advocacy, and technical development for Web content tailored to the disabled.
The W3C hasn't exactly been quiet regarding mobile devices: The body already was working on Web standards for multi-model interaction, device-independent design, and profiles for mobile devices, plus related standards like XHTML. The W3C said the MWI groups' work would complement those ongoing efforts.
Bermers-Lee was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II last year, in honor of his having written the first World Wide Web server and client browser and editor, as well as the first version of HTML.
