[whatwg] The problems with namespaces in text/html (Was: MathML-in-HTML5)

[Henri Sivonen]

On Nov 5, 2006, at 16:29, Elliotte Harold wrote:

> Lachlan Hunt wrote:
>
>>> Why not ditch the HTML 5 layer completely and simply allow the  
>>> XML tools direct access?
>> Because we have to remain compatible with the web, where there are  
>> an infinite number of existing documents that browsers must be  
>> able to handle interoperably.
>
> You're getting this backwards. There's no reason for HTML 5 to be  
> compatible with existing *documents*, existing browsers and tools  
> sure; but other documents can be handled on their own.

The HTML5 parsing algorithm is not about adding a third parser  
alongside old HTML and XML. It is about defining a parsing algorithm  
for text/html content in general--including content that purports to  
conform to older HTML specs.

> Browser vendors can handle XHTML now. It's a non-issue for them.

Having worked recently on improving XHTML handling in Gecko, I assure  
you that XHTML is not a non-issue from the browser point of view.

>> * CMS, editor, and other tool vendors that have to accept HTML  
>> input from users.
>
> They mostly don't use HTML now. Instead they use things like  
> markdown. If they do accept HTML, they tidy it up in various ways  
> for security reasons, if not for well-formedness. Adding well- 
> formedness checking to those that don't is quite simple. It's a  
> question of will and desire, not ability.

You are underestimating the bozo factor on ability and the effect of  
legacy code even when there is desire.

-- 
Henri Sivonen
hsivonen at iki.fi
http://hsivonen.iki.fi/