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Annbass

@Annbass@mastodon.social

mastodon 4.8.0-nightly.2026-10-06

Formerly archaeologist, teacher, hippie, secretary, Zen student, computer person, geek cheerleader. Now a retired free agent; still curious about most things. Based in Seattle; love travel, languages, people from other places. Collaboration, cooperation, consensus, progressive politics, watercolor, family and friends warm my soul.

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6 Posts

Joined May 13, 2017

Annbass @Annbass@mastodon.social

· 24mo ago

In 1993 I told my boss I was bored; needed a new subject. 6 months later she said, “I need to support something called the World Wide Web & Mosaic. Don’t know what it is — check it out.” I came back, “It’s very neat. Won’t last 6 months, but I need something new to do.” Joe Meadows & I brought the web into Boeing (gradually with many others). We joined the W3C early, which now is 30! I am deeply grateful for such luck. Huge congrats to the W3C for decades of important work. @w3c@w3c.social @W30C

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Annbass @Annbass@mastodon.social

· 17mo ago

I am tickled to see this bit of web trivia listed in @TheSeattleTimes@flipboard.com “Today in History”. I represented Boeing to the #WorldWideWebConsortium (#W3C) for years. That international Web standards org was made possible because @timbl@w3c.social and @CERN@quey.org generously gave the initial web code to the world for free — apparently on April 30, 1993. Many of my friends here are from that connection. I am deeply grateful for that experience. And of course that we have the Web!

mastodon.social

Annbass @Annbass@mastodon.social

· 27mo ago

Thanks @cdub@mastodon.social for inviting me to join @w3c@mastodon.social AB/TAG/Board boat ride! Warmed my heart to see all of you. Sorry to miss @robin@mastodon.social & @mnot@techpolicy.social who caroused elsewhere, plus @torgo@mastodon.social, sick in his hotel. Very sad @rhiaro@toot.cat, @amyvdh@mastodon.social, and @koalie@w3c.social couldn’t come to Seattle. <3

Annbass @Annbass@mastodon.social

· 47mo ago

Replying to

@aral@mastodon.ar.al @w3c@w3c.social No, that’s not good. But, without W3C a few big corps would control it ALL or would have killed it off. I guarantee the web would not be what it is today—in fact it might not even functionally exist—if Tim Berners-Lee had not started W3C. I was always impressed by the efforts of myriad participants over the years, including those from big companies. I am deeply grateful that I got to participate. I encourage you to contribute; you might feel differently. 3/3

Annbass @Annbass@mastodon.social

· 47mo ago

Replying to

@aral@mastodon.ar.al @w3c@w3c.social You were mislead. Yes, big companies are members; they pay big $€¥ for the opportunity. The vast majority of members are tiny companies & orgs from all over the world who pay a nominal fee. The W3C itself is actually a tiny org that provides an international structure & space for all members & invited experts to come together. The goal is to standardize foundational technologies to keep the web open, accessible, and interoperable. 1/3

Annbass @Annbass@mastodon.social

· 47mo ago

Replying to

@aral@mastodon.ar.al @w3c@w3c.social At any one time there are dozens of active Working Groups, Community Groups, Interest Groups. It takes money to enable the coordination & maintenance of all that work. Think of the big members as largely paying to enable this work. The geeks in the room have passionate discussions & exploration to reach consensus on solutions. The large & small orgs come to understand each other’s needs. Yes, sometimes big companies (usually those with browsers) dominate. 2/3