

Do you know HTML5? - factorialboy

I was asked this today and I wonder if it is even possible to answer this question with a straight face?<p>HTML5 is a very vague term for a wide range of constantly evolving browser features.<p>* You may be an expert of in-browser storage but clueless about WebGL. Does it mean you know HTML5?<p>* You've implemented web socket servers and clients, but you know nothing about IndexedDB. Does it mean you know HTML5?<p>* You've mastered the file systems API, but are a WebRTC dummy. Does it mean you know HTML5?<p>--<p>Do I know HTML5? I've worked with some parts, I've consciously stayed away from others while being too scared to explore the rest.<p>Be specific. What are you referring to really? Define what you mean by 'HTML5'.<p>I'm a programmer not a marketing exec. I cannot lie and I only have 24 hours in a day so I'm not an expert of it all.<p>Nobody else is either.<p>--<p>Oh well, at least people asking me are better off than a very experienced (15+ years) colleague of mine who just dismissed HTML5 as a "bunch of new HTML tags".<p>HTML != HTML5<p>HTML5 is a bucket term for a wide and extremely diverse range of browser capabilities. Not a 'bunch of new tags'.<p>Argh. /me out
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nobleach
I think we can be pedantic about it, but also realize, the people doing the
questioning often times aren't the ones with whom we will be working. When a
non-tech person asks me about HTML5, I have the urge to say, "oh sure, I used
a header tag and a nav tag just yesterday". But because I am a good
communicator, I look past the W3C spec to what they're really asking. Are you
designing an interactive application that runs in a web browser leveraging new
technologies only recently supported by Microsoft?

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mforsberg
How to answer this question has made me argh as well. My answer is entirely
based on how I judge the person asking. if it is a recruiter of some sort;
"Yes". If it is someone who I guess is a bit more familiar with HTML5 level I
would ask them to be more specific.

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speedyapoc
To answer "yes", I just think that one would just have to be up to date on
these new browser features and best practices rather than explicitly mastering
each of them.

