don't see why it can't be. For example, going back 10 years the W3C could have said we're standardising a series of layout definition attributes (or multiple ba

don't see why it can't be. For example, going back 10 years the W3C could have said we're standardising a series of layout definition attributes (or multiple backgrounds, or colour fades, or bordering styles, or animation modes or whatever) and then waited for those to be implemented by the browsers. I don't see why the standards bodies can't anticipate a need that hasn't yet been coded for and implement a preliminary standard definition for browser writers to use. Well, people who have worked with standards bodies know why it can't be. Because of the natures of the processes involved there and the interests that have to be balanced. The fact that something is at all possible (= no laws in the universe prevent it from being so) don't mean it has a high enough probability. Yeah, a committee could work faster and flexibly. Experience has shown us that historically, they never do.