CSS2 Pushes Through Standards Process
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recently issued a Proposed Recommendation to update the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) standard. Cascading Style Sheets, level 2 (CSS2) adds a new WebFont model that includes downloadable fonts, improves internationalization, and allows for printing of Web pages. CSS2 can also control voice, pitch, stereo position, and other aspects of how Web pages will sound when rendered as speech.
The W3C Cascading Style Sheets and Formatting Properties (CSS & FP) Working Group is made up of Web design, typography, internationalization, and document-publishing experts. The group includes representatives from Adobe, Macromedia, HP, IBM, Lotus, Microsoft, Novell, Silicon Graphics, and SoftQuad. A specification developed within W3C working groups begins as a Working Draft, moves to a Proposed Recommendation, and finally
becomes a Recommendation. The W3C membership then votes on the Recommendation for approval. The CSS2 Proposed Recommendation is expected to reach Recommendation status near the time this reaches print. For more information visit the W3C Web site at www.w3.org.
