My colleague Steve L pointed out this great blog post, documenting the history of the img tag in HTML. It's written like an investigative journal account, not a boring technical manual, although the technical details are all there.
Mark Pilgrim is the author. Thanks, Mark. I've just subscribed to your blog ;)
It boils down to shipping code. Get it out the door. Release early and often. Remember that facts exist outside the building, while opinions live inside. That's why you want actual feedback from actual customers, not would-be / theoretical folks. Your baby is ugly, but it will get prettier over time if you do this.