The Contributions of HTML to Online Culture

Hypertext markup language, more commonly known as HTML, is the code behind every webpage you visit. This collection of standards and technology has been around since the start of the internet, evolving to become ever more capable. Now in its fifth and final iteration, the development of HTML is responsible for guiding more about the internet than many realize. It’s a journey worth covering, so we can better understand how we arrived at where we are in the online world today.

Beginnings of HTML

The first version of HTML, aptly named HTML 1.0, was invented in 1991 by a man named Tim Berners-Lee. It was released in 1993, as websites for general use became available. HTML 1 provided a standard structure for elements like text and simple fonts. This was necessary for the early days as the scope of the internet created significant opportunities for miscommunication, so even simple standardization provided a solid base on which to build.

HTML 2.0 followed in 1995, pushing higher levels of standardization of HTML for newer elements that were still under discussion and debate. This version also allowed direct communication to websites with entry forms that could be filled out by users, aided by table tags which helped better organize data. This era coincided with the creation of the World Wide Web Consortium, which would continue to help with later decisions on coming standardization.

The next big leap was called HTML 3.1, released in 1997. This version expanded the capabilities of user forms, further improving user interaction. It also added better image features, more ways to display characters and fonts, and added CSS into the mix which aided in website customization.

Mainstream Internet Adoption

When HTML 4.01 hit the online world in 1999, the internet had broken out of niche appeal and was making moves in the mainstream. To aid the public, HTML 4 brought with it capabilities for more consistent style support within websites, more tags to enhance visual clarity, and far better table capabilities. The following years were also the age when mobiles first started going online, though support was still extremely limited.

The Modern Era

As the fifth version of HTML first arrived in 2014, the digital world consolidated the approach that we continue to embrace today. HTML 5 saw mainstream adaption in 2014, but that doesn’t mean that the standards are still what they were at the time of launch. Instead, HTML 5 is the designation of the modern landscape of online coding, where huge portions will continue to expand, but we’ll continue to use the HTML 5 moniker. This version added the ability to embed audio directly into webpages, provides better sectioning, and enhances mobile support.

A prime demonstration of what HTML 5 is capable of is found in multimedia pages and services which include audio/visual content. Websites integrating with online casinos with no deposit bonus codes in Canada illustrate several key parts of HTML 5’s potential. The different sections with details about services like 888 Casino and Spin Away are built on HTML 5, as is the way the websites scale between mobile and desktop services. The interactive info expand buttons to detail more about the special features and bonuses are also thanks to new HTML, as are the games on the services listed.

Here on our website we similarly leverage HTML 5 in delivering content to viewers. This is especially the case when video is involved, thanks to the improved potential in embedding audio/visual content. This recent report on the Southern Circular Railway uses embeds from YouTube within the text on mobile and desktop without the need for special software or apps. Seeing how YouTube itself was once based on a now-obsolete Flash system, even a page like this demonstrates several points on how far HTML 5 has taken users.

Now decades into the age of mainstream internet adoption, HTML 5 appears poised to serve as the permanent basis of browsing in the future. It’s taken a long journey to reach this point, from basic functionality to a powerful system delivering everything users need. Even if we often overlook what it brings, sometimes it’s best to turn back and remember the path traveled, so we don’t take the advantages of the modern online world and its capabilities for granted.