XHTML 1.0 returned to HTML WG

[Don Park]

Paul Prescod wrote:

>Given: The XHTML namespace is only useful if we can write generic
>software to work with it.
>
>Given: We can only write generic software to work with it if 
>we know how
>the vocabulary is going to be used.
>
>There must, therefore, be either explicitly or implicitly, an agreed
>upon grammar for the vocabulary.

I agree with you entirely.  What we disgree on whether the spec should
be broken up into two for sake of expediency.  The three line spec
in question simply assigns a namespace for HTML and settles the
case-sensitivity issue.  We can use that three line spec now to move
forward while the grammar spec is being worked on.  Until the grammar
spec is finished, we have only common sense to guide us when designing
HTMLish XML documents.

I think everyone will agree that one can't create a new spoken language
using French words and still call it French.  That is what I mean by
common sense.

>Although I will, admit on occasion to being a purist, in this case it
>seems to me that what I am advocating is common sense. The whole point
>of an HTML namespace is to increase interoperability right? Do you
>really think that that's going to happen through the judicious
>application of common sense and vendor-directed violence?

More like peer-directed violence.  All the boys learn to say
"Girls! Yuck!" from watching other boys.  I don't think there will be
much vendor-directed violence nor abuse of common sense now when there
are active groups like XML-DEV waiting to jump in and scream, "You made
a Boo-Boo!"  <g>

Best,

Don Park    -   mailto:donpark at docuverse.com
Docuverse   -   http://www.docuverse.com


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