4 replies to this topic

[DonnaFontenot]

HTML5 has been waiting to be finalized as a standard for a long time, and it's still not there yet, but time is finally catching up, and browsers are starting to implement HTML5 features even though it's still in draft form.

And that's a good thing, imo. Otherwise, it will never happen.

So what is HTML5? Well, it's the next version of the web's markup language, simply put. One of its goals is to be able to free browsers from having to use plugins for things like audio and video (yay!)

Another really cool feature, and one that is of particular interest to me as an SEO, is that it brings about a new structure that makes it very easy to tell search engines what's what.

Nav is <nav>, footer is <footer>, header is <header>, etc. Some aren't quite as intuitive as they could be, but once you get the reasoning, it all makes sense. For instance, a sidebar is <aside>, which could also be any kind of content that isn't directly related to the ... you guessed it ... <article>.

And of course, there's audio and video <audio> and <video>, which is really in the news right now, as people are excited about dumping Flash, but unsure about which video decoder format should be the standard.

Lots more goodies with HTML5 await those who are jumping in.

And don't even get me started on combining HTML5 with CSS3 !!!! Woot! Heaven!

Anyway, it's time, folks, to start dipping your toes in these future waters.

I've got a new site going that is just a few weeks old that has, as its goal, to provide free templates using HTML5 (and CSS3 sometimes too). Of course, the big drawback is that I'm not a designer, so while I'm managing to crank out about 1 new template per day, it would be nice if I could find some others to help contribute to it. So, that's another goal of mine - get contributors, and in return, I'll give them tons of love and appreciation and hopefully send traffic their way. So feel free to learn about HTML5 and even play around with some of my templates to figure it all out. (And please, don't expect perfection from me!) You can download any of my templates at http://freehtml5templates.com and make your own customizations to them.

Let's learn together and be ready for the future together.

If you already have some HTML5 experience under your belt, what are your thoughts? Favorite features? Wishes?

[Pete]

I thought I would bump this as I'm finally getting into HTML5, mainly video embedding. Seems like a necessary evil to me now that Flash seems to be becoming hisotry.

I say "evil" because apparently I have to make and embed three different formats of each video: mp4, ogv and webm.

I have a couple of converters (Miro and EasyHTML5video), but they are all over the place, e.g. enormous ogv files and tiny low quality webm.

The other issue is finding a nice, easy way to embed in a single player using an XML playlist. I currently do this using Wimpy Rave on my site here, but this is Flash and of course doesn't work on iPads etc. I downloaded the Wimpy demo HTML5 player (Pickled) but it seems way more complicated than Rave, so I haven't yet got my head round it. It will take a lot of coffee I think.

Has anyone got any ideas for good conversion software (Mac), or examples of their own sites with successful embedded HTML5 video?

(BTW, here is one I like, but I have no idea how they do that playlist)

Edited by Pete, 29 March 2012 - 09:45 AM.

[EGOL]

Wow! I just looked at the portfolio page. You have added a lot of templates since my last visit. Congratulations!

Thanks for the info on the <article><video> etc. tags.

You have been working with and paying attention to HTML5 for quite some time so I have a question for you.... Do you think that people who have OLD HTML sites should put moving them to HTML5 at a high position on their "to do" list? I have some sites with CSS used just for formatting but designed in nested tables. Is there ROI in converting them to HTML5 with full CSS formatting and all of the <new tags>?

[DonnaFontenot]

Keep in mind that I've since sold that site, so it's no longer mine, though the new owner hasn't changed a single thing since he bought it from me. It sits there, exactly as it was the last time it was in my hands. Oh well...

Anyway, No, I don't think porting old html sites to html5 should be a high position on your to do list. However...by simply changing the doctype to the new one, you will have essentially ported over. Granted, you won't be utilizing anything specific, but it will be html5 nevertheless. Then, if you wanted, later on, you could gradually add in other html5 features. But in general, no, there's not a huge reason to do so, imo, for most old sites.

[EGOL]

Thanks for that info.

I feel lucky.

I could easily change the doctype, add <header> <footer> <article> and other tags simply with find/replace.