Working together for standards The Web Standards Project

You put on your blue beanie every year. But you can make a difference throughout the year.

For several years, web workers passionate about web standards have donned blue beanies for one day to bring attention to the importance of using web standards, keeping the web open, and continually moving it forward. We dutifully change our avatars on social media sites and the pictures on our web sites for a single unified day—this year on November 30. Of course this bewilders high school, college, and other non-tech friends on sites like Facebook, but we disregard their confusion in our eagerness to advocate the advancement of something we believe in. The following day, we return to our typical avatars and photos, all while making plans for a funnier, more creative blue beanie avatar for the next year.

What if there is more?

What if wearing that cute little blue toque was only the beginning of a continual journey?

• But I’m just a single developer…
• I don’t have an organization behind me…
• The company I work for doesn’t really care…
• I can’t really effect anything, why bother…
• I already work 60 hours a week—I can’t fit anything else in…
• I don’t really have any original ideas…
• Other developers know so much more than me…

These are just a few of the excuses that play in our heads when we contemplate doing more than putting on the beanie once a year. Today I’m happy to announce a new project, put together by a group of very passionate web folks, that can enable your entry into the process of moving the web forward—no matter what skill level you’re currently at—Move the Web Forward.

From the site:

Our goal is to make it easy for anyone to get started contributing to the platform, whether that’s learning more about how it works, teaching others, or writing specs. The web has grown due to people like you, and we want to make it even easier for people like you to give back.

The web page is packed full of a generous range of ideas, from how to learn, and how to help other people learn, to how to hack the web and contribute to specs. There are few excuses left when the ideas are well organized allowing you to pick and choose what you, or your organization can handle. I’m impressed with the generosity of time and effort this group of devs have contributed to put this amazing resource together. Don’t miss it — Move the Web Forward!

You can make the web as awesome as you want it to be. Browser vendors, standards editors and library creators actively seek your voice and your contribution. Together we can move the web forward.

Also check out Addy Osmani’s article on Smashing Magazine with more details on just how you can help move the web forward.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work. How fantastic would it be if there were so many hands that the burden didn’t fall on just a few? Together, let’s make the web rawk even harder!

Your Replies

#1 On November 30th, 2011 1:21 pm Zac replied:

Stephanie, great article! I really love the move the web forward site.

Thanks for posting :)

#2 On December 1st, 2011 12:23 am Phillip Lovelace replied:

It’s great to see you have mentioned the article on Smashing Magazine and especially Move the Web Forward. Great post and its great to see that WaSP is helping to spread the word!

#3 On December 7th, 2011 6:45 pm zippo shop replied:

I think the idea with the blue caps class. That has as a FlashMob. The more people join in order to better it is. I must always smile when I see profile pictures with blue Beanie.

#4 On December 8th, 2011 2:50 pm Markus replied:

I think you have a very good point, everybody can do something if he / she wants too. I will forward this article to some of our developers and marketing people, I’m sure they can get some awareness out of it.

#5 On December 13th, 2011 8:31 pm Adrian replied:

I think its great that you fight for a simple, affordable access to web technologies for everyone. To be honest, I’m no developer but I will check out the “Move the Web Forward” Website.
I think I’m more like the down to earth guy. But I think exactly there the fight for open source technologies just started. I watched this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GEMkvT0DEk about “Open Source Blueprints for Civilization” and thought that is kinda similar to the Webstandarts project, isn’t it? Its about providing offline technology to everyone who needs it. I thought that might interest you. I think I will try to help there a little bit. Had a hard time to understand their Website, so I thought I could help them to make it more user friendly.

Oh and I have a question, where do I get this cool blue hat? I could need a few. I know many developers and I think it would make great gifts. ;-)

#6 On December 14th, 2011 9:52 am Heiko replied:

Hello Stephanie,
Move the Web Forward ist a great project! I try it every day…
and I liked the blue beanies.
Good luck
Heiko

#7 On December 19th, 2011 12:06 pm 20 HTML5 sites that changed the game | HTML5 Samples, Tutorials and News replied:

[...] all, more than any of these awes HTML5 websites, Move the Web Forward’s message is crucial. In Beyond the Blue Beanie?, Stephanie (Sullivan) Rewis comments “As the saying goes, many hands make light work. How [...]

#8 On December 22nd, 2011 8:58 pm 2011年回顾：改变游戏的20个HTML5网站 | Web App Trend replied:

[...] the Web Forward中的信息是非常有用的。Beyond the Blue Beanie?, Stephanie (Sullivan) [...]

#9 On December 23rd, 2011 1:51 am 改变游戏的20个HTML5网站 | Flash开发者大会 replied:

[...] the Web Forward中的信息是非常有用的。Beyond the Blue Beanie?, Stephanie (Sullivan) [...]

#10 On January 24th, 2012 5:48 am 20 HTML5 sites that changed the game | Armin Osmancevic replied:

[...] all, more than any of these awes HTML5 websites, Move the Web Forward’s message is crucial. InBeyond the Blue Beanie?, Stephanie (Sullivan) Rewis comments “As the saying goes, many hands make light work. How [...]

#11 On January 24th, 2012 12:28 pm Mark replied:

“But I’m just a single developer…
I don’t have an organization behind me…
The company I work for doesn’t really care…
I can’t really effect anything, why bother…”

All of us can make a difference and I commend you on your efforts.

basecandy

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