There’s a lot of talk about HTML5 and CSS3 these days, especially since Safari/Chrome, Firefox, and Opera have begun supporting some of the most anticipated features of both specifications.  If you’ve ever used border-radius or box-shadow then you’ve already touched on CSS3 a bit.  However, the chances are that, at least at the time of this writing, you haven’t done much with HTML5.  And, chances are, it’s probably because you’ve heard about the lack of browser support for HTML5 thus far (which is to be expected, considering that the specification is still just a draft).

That said, I stumbled across a very interesting framework today that may help bridge the gap between the present and the future — when HTML5 and CSS3 is supported by all major browsers.  52Framework boasts features such as rounded corners, text-shadow, box-shadow, HTML5 markup, a grid system, and a built-in CSS reset.  Best of all, it’s compatible with all major browsers, including the infamous IE6.  You can see a working demo of an HTML5 page using with 52Framework on their website or download the latest release from their homepage.  If you’re just curious to see what it’s all about, you can take a peak at what’s inside the box.

Although still in beta, 52Framework looks like a promising alternative for anyone looking to take advantage of the upcoming HTML5 + CSS3 specifications.  As nice as it is, however, I don’t think it’s something I would rely on for heavy production use…at least not without some very thorough testing on a lot of different browsers.