[whatwg] several messages about XML syntax and HTML5

Thu Dec 7 21:07:19 PST 2006

On Mon, 04 Dec 2006 17:10:08 +0600, Mihai Sucan <mihai.sucan at gmail.com> wrote:

> IMHO, requests for allowing the xmlns attribute and other XMLiness is a
> bit over the board. I am for allowing the trailing slashes, they do no
> harm, and they help us on the server side, under strict control. Also,
> according to statistics you've provided the trailing slashes are used
> right now on 50% of web pages.
>
> However, in the same "spirit", a middle way for those who want XMLiness in
> HTML, would be to allow the xmlns:?.* attribute, xml:base, xml:id, and
> xml:lang. Yet, define them as meaningless. Just for validation purposes,
> just for helping people who do such things on the server-side.

I don't think it's the right thing to do.

Recently, "<br/>" has been brought into the common subset of HTML5 and XHTML5. That's OK because browsers currently handle "<br/>" the same in HTML and XHTML, and will continue doing so. The same for xmlns attribute on <html>.

However, introducing <xml:base> into the common subset of HTML5 and XHTML5 is not acceptable becasue it there woudl be markup in the common subset that means different things for HTML5 and XHTML5 consumers: nothing for the former, base URI specification for the latter. I don't see why would anyone want non-interoperable markup in the common subset.

-- 
Alexey Feldgendler <alexey at feldgendler.ru>
[ICQ: 115226275] http://feldgendler.livejournal.com