Why web standards
Wide World Web... a tool with endless possibilities to advance business, connect people and share information. It should be a goal that this tool is available to everyone despite their choice in operating system and browser brand. Web standards can ensure these goals are fulfilled if written correctly.
This is why!
I believe that with these opportunities there is a real responsibility to understand its complexity and provide solid solutions for my customers. This means using code that is W3C compliant. I believe that the need for universality is vital and with this set of recommendations, we, the developers, can actually create uniform code that can be interpreted by both man and machine.
Who is the W3C
W3C claims they are "leading the Web to its full potential". Big words from a big organisation with prominent members like... Microsoft, IBM, Apple, AT&T, Adobe, BBC, Ericsson, Google, Novell, Nokia, Sony, Vodafone, Xerox, Yahoo etc.
Web standards are good!
Web sites written with according to the W3C standards, and with accessibility and usability in mind, means whatever device your customer use to see your Web site becomes irrelevant. All of your information will appear on their screen - and the rest is up to you. Since there are no governing bodies forcing companies to comply with web standards it's entirely voluntary. I believe the web standards is the choice that makes the most sense in a competitive global economy. Especially since there are no extra costs involved. Thanks to the World Wide Web Consortium, there is mechanism - a standardization - a language that opens the doors to business and its customers across the world. Hallelujah baby ;)
Markup validation
Another advantage, perhaps in the more geeky department, is the Markup Validation Service from W3C where you can validate your pages to see if they comply or not, to the recommendations set by the W3C. This might seem extremely geeky, but it actually offers a possibility to "check" if a web sites live up to a minimum of compliance.