Recently, Microsoft released Internet Explorer 8, which boasted much better standards compliance than previous iterations of the browser. While it passed the Acid2 test, IE8 failed miserably in the Acid3 test, and many people criticised Microsoft for it. Microsoft Australia's Nick Hodge has stated that Microsoft purposefully decided not to support Acid3, because the test tests against draft standards.
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2005-07-24
Well, what others call "levels" I call version increments :-) Though I guess that isn't true as you could then have a version 2 for Level 1.2 ( i.e., version 1 or L 1.2 was buggy ).
Anyways, I did see some mention to the "level" this "level" that, but did not connect the dots, so I must offer my thanks to you for the enlightenment.
In any event, however, I believe then a graduated compliance scale should be devised as to avoid confusion. After all, it would appear that Microsoft ( or this particular talking mouth ) did not understand this whole "level" thing much in the same way that I did not understand.
Acid3 does, however, test for compliance with standards "levels" which have not been agreed upon or finalized, so the issue remains of, in reality, a test going too far.
Maybe we need an "Acid-ISO" conformance test which tests for all current international standards, and doesn't try to jump the gun regarding which tests to include.
We need a cleaner method - one that an end-user can understand. The higher the number the better, calling it Internet 2.0 Compliant would be a great way to foster fair competition.
--The loon
Member since:2007-02-17
That is not it. It doesn't work like that.
IE, as do all other browser, complies with DOM level 1.
DOM level 2 was published in 2000. It hasn't changed at all since. DOM leevel 2 includes DOM level 1, plus extra functions. Your browser still needs to be compliant with DOM level 1 in order to be compliant with DOM level 2. It is like adding an extension to a house ... you still have to have the house in order to have the house plus extensions.
IE doesn't have this, it (alone) is stuck at DOM level 1.
DOM level 3 was published in 2004. AFAIK, no browsers have complied with that as yet. In order to do so, however, they won't have to throw away any of the functionality of DOM level 2.
Edited 2009-03-25 08:17 UTC
Member since:
2007-02-17
Web Standard Version 2009 would require the ISO version of SVG 1.1, CSS 2.1, PNG 1.2, etc... Any new major browser version being released would be expected to have support for WSV-2009.
The numbers after the W3C standards don't specify versions in the normal sense ... they specify levels.
DOM level 1 is the elementary level of the DOM standard. IE complies with this, and it is part of acid 1 tests.
DOM level 2 is the next level of the DOM standard. It specifies extra functionality over DOM 1. It does not supplant DOM level 1. Opera, Firefox, Safari and Chrome comply with this as well as DOM 1. IE8 does not. This is tested in Acid 3.
DOM level 3 is what the W3C is working on now. This is the bit in draft. It is functionality in addition to DOM level 1 and DOM level 2, it does not supplant the earlier levels.
It is a similar story for SVG. SVG 1.0 is the first level. SVG 1.1 is a higher level, with additional functions. This is tested in Acid 3. Opera, Firefox, Safari and Chrome comply with this level. IE8 does not. SVG level 1.2 is what the W3C is working on now, and this is draft.
The numbers are incremental levels of functionality in the (static) standard, they are not incremental versions of the standards. Later increments do not affect earlier increments, they just add functionality.
In other words ... Microsoft's stated excuse for not complying with Acid3 is a crock. Utter BS. Liar, liar, house on fire.
Edited 2009-03-25 06:04 UTC