HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) has experienced a major transformation during the last decade prior to releasing its latest version known as HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5). Several elements conceived around HTML during this period introduced significant problems in the development of the standard due to an increasing fragmentation and complexity in protocols, platforms, devices and systems. With the setting up of the WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group) and the popularization of HTML5, initial disagreements between W3C (World Wide Consortium) and other digital platforms around the strategy to follow were put to an end. However, the development of HTML5 has opened up doors to profound changes in the way that web standards are produced and the role of the Web as a techno-social platform. For shedding some light on these issues, this paper provides a retrospective throughout a historical revision of the evolution of HTML, shedding some light into the technical, economic and social factors that helped to create a “Living Standard”. For achieving this objective, the paper is built on the empirical evidence gathered from 21 interviews carried out with different HTML5 experts as well as a documentation analysis around the hypertext standard. This contribution stresses how the platform economy paradigm emerged thanks to different factors contributing to the increasing centralization that can be observed nowadays. Lastly, it is argued that the role of organizations like W3C and others should be strengthened for avoiding the oligopolistic practices of digital platforms in future episodes of socio-technical controversies.

在发布最新版本称为HTML5（超文本标记语言5）之前，HTML（超文本标记语言）经历了重大变革。在此期间，围绕HTML构想的几个元素由于协议，平台，设备和系统的碎片化和复杂性的增加而在标准的开发中引入了重大问题。随着WHATWG（网络超文本应用技术工作组）的建立和HTML5的普及，W3C（全球财团）与其他遵循该战略的数字平台之间的最初分歧得以终结。但是，HTML5的发展为Web标准的产生方式以及Web作为技术社会平台的作用带来了深刻的变化。为了阐明这些问题，本文对HTML的历史发展进行了回顾，对有助于创建“生活标准”的技术，经济和社会因素进行了回顾。为了实现此目标，本文建立在从不同HTML5专家进行的21次采访中收集的经验证据以及围绕超文本标准的文档分析的基础上。这一贡献强调了平台经济范式的出现，这归功于各种因素推动了当今可以观察到的日益集中化。最后，有人争辩说，应加强W3C等组织的作用，以免在未来发生社会技术争议时避免数字平台的寡头行为。本文对HTML的历史发展进行了回顾，对有助于创建“生活标准”的技术，经济和社会因素进行了回顾。为了实现此目标，本文建立在从不同HTML5专家进行的21次采访中收集的经验证据以及围绕超文本标准的文档分析的基础上。这一贡献强调了平台经济范式的出现，这归功于各种因素推动了如今可以观察到的日益集中化。最后，有人争辩说，应加强W3C等组织的作用，以免在未来发生社会技术争议时避免数字平台的寡头行为。本文回顾了HTML的历史发展历程，回顾了有助于建立“生活标准”的技术，经济和社会因素。为了实现此目标，本文建立在从不同HTML5专家进行的21次采访中收集的经验证据以及围绕超文本标准的文档分析的基础上。这一贡献强调了平台经济范式的出现，这归功于各种因素推动了当今可以观察到的日益集中化。最后，有人争辩说，应加强W3C等组织的作用，以免在未来发生社会技术争议时避免数字平台的寡头行为。