[whatwg] native styling for search input boxes

[Kristof Zelechovski]

I hoped to see an example of an actual semantic improvement of introducing
INPUT[type=SEARCH].  Maciej described a conceptual improvement for the ideal
world; in the real world, the developers will have to use the heuristics
anyway because there are search fields in the wild not marked as such and
most of them will remain that way of course.  Please describe how the
potential presence of INPUT[type=SEARCH] will improve the user experience
(ignoring presentation) based on the assumption that the present heuristics
will be used anyway.
Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: whatwg-bounces at lists.whatwg.org
[mailto:whatwg-bounces at lists.whatwg.org] On Behalf Of Maciej Stachowiak
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2008 2:10 AM
To: Nils Dagsson Moskopp
Cc: whatwg
Subject: Re: [whatwg] native styling for search input boxes


>> User agents and assistive technologies could use the
>> knowledge that a field is a search field in all sorts of helpful  
>> ways.
> What exactly were you imagining ? In the end, it's a text field like  
> any
> other.

For example, Chrome will keep track of search fields that the user has  
used on various pages. I assume they currently use a heuristic, this  
would be a clear signal of search-fieldness. (I do not speak for the  
Chrome team here and I do not know if they would want to use it.