If the W3C disappeared tomorrow, the world would be fine. (Similarly, the weather channel is not an essential service, planes can still attain flight without the TSA, and there is still life outside of the panopticon's walls...)
The W3C served a useful role a few decades ago when it focused on codifying historical standards that resulted from the early exponential growth but, like many others who took the minutes in important situations, they now seem to think they are "leaders." But documenting historical growth doesn't mean you are suddenly a source of good ideas; leading isn't something you say you will do, it's something others say you did.
I propose that everyone simply ignore the W3C whenever it's useful.
If only ignoring the TSA, the NSA, and corporate managers were as easy.
This stuff matters.
But I don't think it's too late for the W3C. I don't think they've been bought out in the strictest sense; rather, I think they've been subject to some very effective lobbying that has proved most persuasive ( a.k.a. 'crisis of representation; see http://boingboing.net/2013/06/06/w3c-insider-explains-whats-... ).
So - yeah.
It seems really defeatist to say this. You are a consumer. You have the ultimate vote on everything, with your wallet, with the only exceptions really being what you need to survive and whatever your government takes.
And I don't think netflix is on par with eating.
My problem is I have no idea what to do about the w3c. I'd really like to know what alternative network protocols for document rendering there are, because they are destroying the platform they are supposed to advance, community backlash be damned, they got bought off.
I'm definitely looking into ways to get qml into browsers, though. I think qtquick apps as remote resources would be amazing, because they would be actual apps, not documents with scripts running on them.