As a Web Designer and Developer I welcome with open arms the new features that HTML5 brings to the table. The rich semantics, graceful degradation, API's, and new technologies make it flexible and powerful. If based on the standardization merits aspects alone, it would be a major step in the right direction, taking the headaches away from the day-to-day task of designing and developing for a multitude of rendering engines. In the back of my mind, a small voice utters: “What about XHTML 2.0!” Could HTML5 go down the same road as XHTML 2.0, and become just another abandoned project?

The thought lingers as I create a series of polyfills for the given task at hand. I shrug off the thought, with the justification that I am seeing an increase in awareness regarding developing/designing with HTML5 and CSS3 emphasis. Most major browser venders are touting that they are currently moving forward with built in support with each new release, and is validated when I use Modernizr. The question really becomes, “When will there be full HTML5 and CSS3 support across all the browsers?” Sigh! Not for awhile as HTML5 and CSS3 is still in a design flux (not thrashing) as you can see here (http://www.w3.org/TR/html5). However, we can at least utilize what is currently available and prepare for what inevitably will happen if all be it gradually.

I am not concerned, we eventually will get there. The trip will be worth it, and it will create a new and better environment for the web designer and developer. Evolution all though painful, does produce a better result in the long run.