[whatwg] Deprecating <small>, <b> ?

[Lachlan Hunt]

Nils Dagsson Moskopp wrote:
>> The small element represents small print [...]
> 
>> The b element represents a span of text to be stylistically offset from
> the normal prose without conveying any extra importance [...]
> 
> Both definitions seems rather presentational (contrasting, for example,
> the new semantic definition for the <i> element) and could also be
> realized by use of <span> elements.
> 
> To me these look like the last remnants of the <font> element. So why
> are these elements retained ?

This issue has been discussed in depth in the past; most significantly 
on public-html around May 2007.

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-html/2007May/thread.html#msg3
(I think most of the releant discussion is in the "Cleaning House" thread)

I have added an entry to the FAQ detailing the rationale for including 
these elements, and have previously written an article about the issue too.

http://wiki.whatwg.org/wiki/FAQ#Why_are_some_presentational_elements_like_.3Cb.3E.2C_.3Ci.3E_and_.3Csmall.3E_still_included.3F
http://lachy.id.au/log/2007/05/b-and-i
http://lists.whatwg.org/pipermail/whatwg-whatwg.org/2007-January/009060.html

-- 
Lachlan Hunt - Opera Software
http://lachy.id.au/
http://www.opera.com/