Open Source? Supported Browsers Plugin Required? Customizable? Lines of Code Fallback Plan?
Video/Audio - HTML5 Yes Safari 3.2+, Firefox 3.5+, Opera 10.5+, Chrome 3+, Internet Explorer 9+ No Yes (JavaScript) 6 Embedding media player, Flash, silverlight or similar technology
Video/Audio - Silverlight Yes Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 1.5.0.8+, Safari 2.0.4+, Chrome 1+ Yes Limited (Player "skin" creation") 135 Embedding media player, Flash or similar technology
Drag and Drop - HTML5 Yes Safari 4+, Firefox 3.5+, Chrome 3+, Internet Explorer 9+ No Yes (CSS) 31 JavaScript
Drag and Drop - JavaScript Yes Any JavaScript enabled browser (JS can be turned off by the user) No Yes (CSS) 89 None
Drawing App. - HTML5 Canvas Yes Safari 3.1+, Firefox 3+, Opera 9.6+, Chrome 2+, Internet Explorer 9+ No Yes (CSS) 457 Flash
Drawing App. - Flash (Actionscript) No Any browser with Flash Player 6 or above installed Yes Limited (.fla file and "Adobe Flash" program required) 1563 None

HTML5 and Interactivity

My dissertation project was to research how HTML5's interactive elements will enhance (if at all) how users interact with websites. To do this I created three applications using new HTML5 technology and then created the same applications using current technology. I then compaired each of the applications (as you can see in the table above) to come to a conclusion.

Each "current technology" was chosen as they are generally considered to be three of the best solutions to make these applications in web design before HTML5.