Chris Crockett – Gaming and Computer Geek

My wife, a tremendously understanding and wonderful woman, has pre-authorized me to purchase an iPad when they become available but the question I have is this: do I really need another web browsing device? I’ve already got a desktop PC, a laptop, a netbook, an eBook reader and an iPod Touch; which I am using to write this very article. I’ve got all the bases covered, though with an admittedly heavy collection of devices; none of which has 3G connectivity. I will admit that Apple can put serious design licks on a device that quickly becomes indispensable; I suppose we’ll see how quickly the iPad is adopted. I do have to admit that I’m putting off the purchase of a Nook for the time being.

I keep seeing this misconception popping up.  In all walks of life, in all sorts of specification documents.  For some reason people seem to be of the mistaken belief that creating web pages in HTML is somehow “programming”,  as in computer programming, as in that thing I’ve spent 23 years learning, refining and mastering.

Allow me to disabuse you of this notion.  HTML is not a programming language.  It has none of the neccessary elements of a programming language.  It has no comparison structures, it has no programmatic flow control structures, the only thing that it has in common with a programming language is that it is, at least loosely, structured.

HTML is a markup language.  It tells a computer how a designer would like a webpage to be rendered and nothing more.  A computer program takes input and produces output, an HTML document is input, the rendered image on screen being the output.

Of course, web-pages can include programming code, usually in the form of JavaScript, Java Applets, Flash animations, ActiveX objects et al. but these are programs which are embedded inside an HTML document, not really part of the document at all.  Other web-pages are generated on the fly by programs, some of which look superficially like HTML pages, but again, the HTML document itself is the output and input in these models, not the program.

Calling HTML a programming language is basically the same thing as calling your resume a computer program, which I’m certain for most of you out there, it is not.

Is it me or does it seem to everyone that the entire content industry considers each and every one of its customers to be theives, just waiting to steal their content and distribute it across the world for free.

They continue to insist that the technology industry develop techniques to prevent people from copying their “premium content”. Technology companies must bow to the whims and wishes of the content providers, and give them the ultimate veto power over who may, or may not, view their content. In a way this is entirely their right but there is also a flaw in the philosophy being developed here.

The simple fact is that the content industry is treating their own customers as criminals, while not significantly affecting the actual criminals in any way. DRM, Digital Rights Management, Content Protection and all the other schemes that have been created to “protect” content are fundamentally flawed and cannot stand the test of time. It is inevitable that all forms of DRM can, and will, be cracked, copied, reproduced and distributed across the planet. I’m not enough of an expert to explain why this is true but I’m certain that Cory Doctorow can point you in the right direction.

So, the only people for whom DRM becomes an encumberance is the user who legally purchases their content. The customer who has no intention to steal, copy, fold, spindle or mutilate the content they are acquiring. The only people who will ever be angered by DRM will be the very same people who are actually supporting the content providers.

Does that really sound like a good idea?