W3C Standards, embedding Quicktime content, and you
See update at end of post...
I've had several inquiries recently into Web site/page validation (a la the W3C online validator) in general, and the spinControl:VR QTVR controller specifically.
Sadly, the arbitrary set of parameters which is used to power spinControl:VR will not validate through the online validator, as embedded using Apple's Javascript embedding technique. This does not mean that spinControl is functioning improperly nor does it mean people won't be able to view your QTVR content and spinControl controller.
All this means is that, because of an incomplete set of standards (and some admittedly questionable looking code on my part) as held by the W3C, the HTML & Javascript code used to embed the spinControl:VR controller will make the online validator squawk. Hopefully, as the Web and standards progress, the W3C's validator will expand its understanding of the semi-arbitrary object/embed code for QuickTime content. (see update below)
There has been some interesting discussion about this on several blogs recently. Much of the discussion centers around Flash content of course, since Quicktime and QTVR are still the redheaded stepchildren of the WWW, but the thinking applies to content we QTVR developers produce. Here's to an end to the object/embed wars! ;-)
Geoff Stearns on Web standards and compliance, and also his Javascript embedding workaround.
The first link is Geoff's response to Ben Henick's post regarding Flash, Javascript and Web standards. Ben responded to Geoff's response.
Hope this is interesting and/or helpful!
Update, September 9, 2006 in the "OK, if it was a snake it would've bit me" category:
If you go to the W3 validator, and input the below address, you should only get an error related to my bad doctype declaration/utf-8.
View the source for the spincontrol code... All I've done is to "escape" the end tags inside the Javascripted spinControl-specific XML. That is, what was "</MaximumTilt>" is now "<\/MaximumTilt>".
Hope this helps, and do let me know! To my detriment, I should have caught this originally.
LINK:
http://www.nurturesourcedesigns.com/showcase/files/pano.php