The Document Object Model Dissected

Tutorial TOC

1. Introduction
2. Gray's Anatomy\ Master of Your DOM
3. Use the DOM, Luke
4. Netscape: The DOM
5. Microsoft: DOM, the Sequel
6. DOM of the Future

DOM of the Future

"Where is this all leading us?" you might wonder with heady glee. Clearly, one of the major themes of this article has been that the two major Web development environments -- Netscape and Microsoft's browsers -- do not share compatible Document Object Models. Whether or not you believe that they should be compatible at this level most likely depends on whether you are a developer, a user, or a shareholder.

The W3C's Document Object Model Level-1 and Level-2 specifications could go a long way to resolving incompatibilities between the browsers, but it is no golden cure. For one, W3C recommendations are only useful if a developer adopts them. There is no law forcing Microsoft or Netscape to implement the W3C DOM. In looking for an angle to catch up to Microsoft's market share, Netscape is touting Netscape 6's superior compliance with the W3C standards, based upon the open-source Mozilla project. Still, Microsoft may or may not play along.

If you are sympathetic to the Web Standards Project ("WaSP"), an activist group of high-end Web developers who support convincing and/or shaming the Big Two into supporting common web standards, you can join the ranks of those holding out hope for a common Document Object Model. Can't we all just get along?

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