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Yet Microsoft is still lurking, and has a different perspective on the Internet. If you have access to a computer running a recent version of Microsoft Windows, look at the description of any HTML file on your computer (those with an .htm or .html extension on the file name, typically). They're labeled "Microsoft HTML Document."

What does this have to do with my sense of being as a purist? Many , actually, but let me dwell on just a couple.

The description "Microsoft HTML Document" is more than a mere label in this situation. It implies that Microsoft possesses some level of ownership or control over HTML. What you have in front of you is not just any HTML document, for it now has Microsoft's name stamped on it. For documents written with Microsoft Word this labeling is appropriate, but HTML? It doesn't matter where the document came from or how it was written; in title it is now part of Microsoft. This offends me as it implies ownership where none is entitled.

In some situations the label is appropriate, however, as HTML documents created by Microsoft's own software are rather unique, although not in a good way. "Microsoft HTML" is a manifestation of their most fundamental trait.

Consider for a moment that the tags in an HTML document can be thought of, in business terms, as "overhead." They guide presentation of content, but don't contribute any substantial content of their own. HTML documents such as the one you're reading, contain about 15% overhead. When the paragraphs are marked, the tables laid out, and the links factored in, most of the document is still content.

Look now at an HTML document created by Microsoft Word 2000, an application that is marketed on it's ability to create and publish HTML documents. Typical overhead? Around 90%. This is truly "Microsoft HTML." People who have watched the size of an empty Microsoft Word document climb to over 20,000 bytes probably don't find this too surprising. I am disturbed, however, by the implications of this latest development.

Microsoft Bloat just found the Web.

Hang on, HTML. Be true to your roots and you may yet prevail.