[whatwg] HTML5: Deprecate the SMALL element

[Ian Hickson]

On Wed, 13 Apr 2005, Henrik Lied wrote:
>
> The element SMALL should be deprecated, as it describes the appearance 
> of the content. Alternatively, a new name for the element could be 
> created.
> 
> Since SMALL is usually used to describe copyright-notices and other 
> legal descriptions, my proposal for a new name is DISCLAIMER or NOTES.

The name is (in HTML5) short for "small print", which doesn't imply that 
the text is small, but is the name given to runs of legal text or 
disclaimers (whatever their actual font size).

Keeping the name <small> has the advantage that it will also happen to 
work in legacy browsers. I don't see what the advantage of a new name 
would be.

The way the element is defined in the draft at the moment is completely 
independent of the rendering. It doesn't describe the appearance.

-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'