Re: [WSG] talking points for standards

[Jay Gilmore]

Robert O'Neill wrote: If I wanted new windows in my house I'd buy from the BS Standard compliant company every time, wouldn't you ? Well I dunno? I am in Canada and I am assuming this might be the same as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). In North America BS stands for BullS#it. so your comment fails to communicate to me fully what you mean.   The thing is though, if I click on the BS Standard logo it can't prove to me that the company is actually compliant , however in our industry, we as web designers can use our W3C logos to prove the point, by linking them to the validators. A better comparison is the Better Business Bureau. Most people (in participating countries) know who the BBB is because the organization lobbies the public and consumers to educate and inform consumers about its members and its mission. It even hunts downs and goes after business who use their logo without authorization or membership.   Some might find this argument slightly flaky as a BS Standard is an acknowledgment of quality rather than validity. The problem we have though is that until the consequences of legislation fully kick in (DDA etc) we are still being allowed to regulate ourselves and W3C validation seems to be the only option available.   So I'll continue to add W3C validation logos to my sites until an official Govt. Standard is set. Considering the UK Government bases most of its current web standards (eGIF, NHS Standards etc) on W3C recommendations, I'll hopefully be in a decent position should that ever happen.   Rob O. Rob, I don't think legislating how businesses decide to build websites is of any value or has any place, as they don't have any impact on the public at large, if a business wants to build a crap site, much like hanging a sign that no one can understand, it is, and should be, their right to make whatever they want. If governments wish to set out policy for contractors building sites for and with the government then go for it. I don't really have a problem with the W3C logos per se, except we cannot expect them to have any impact on anyone other than the already converted. If you are placing them there as some hope to convince a business owner to switch to you because you comply with some unknown standard --you are going to waste bytes and bandwidth. All I was suggesting is that the industry create meaning in the buttons for business by marketing standards to business and not to one another.