Why do browsers have such poor support for W3C standards? [closed]

Question

I can't figure it out.

Is it because the people making the browsers don't care? Is it because we, as developers, already write hack code to get around things that don't work in browser X and Y?

Answer 1

I hate to be the guy that links a Joel article, but this article is one of the best answers to the question.

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2008/03/17.html

Unfortunately it is so long that by the time you read it and think wow that was an amazing article you will forget how you got there and who you were supposed to upmod. : )