Thread by @mikeal

Thread: we could see the erosion of the W3C all together. eff.org/deeplinks/2017…

Unlike TC-39, which has measures of legal control over the JavaScript language, the W3C has no exclusivity over specs that make the web.

In fact, web browsers are constantly adding features based on specs from other standards bodies. WebSockets, HTTP/2 are IETF for instance.

For quite some time, the majority of relevant web standards actually come from WHATWG and are later "forked" to W3C.

The WHATWG has no IP policies or formal governance, so W3C picks them up and does the IP work after the spec is basically finalized.

The W3C ends up being the final stop in these web standards because of their historical position and member IP agreements.

Other standards bodies have the IP infrastructure to do the same work, but won't because of the position the W3C holds.

But what happens if more members like the EFF leave?

How much does that position start to erode?

Over the last decade, TC-39 has drastically changed their process within ECMA for the better.

Nothing comparable has happened in the W3C.

There are lots of alternatives. ECMA could start a new group, IETF could spin up an area committee.

People have also been asking the WHATWG to get more formalized for a while. If they started working with with a non-W3C standards body...

When people see "W3C" they think there's some kind of ownership they have over web standards that is unshakable.

It's being shaken.