[whatwg] Help us review HTML5!

[Ian Hickson]

Have you been lurking here but wanting to do more? Now that HTML5 is 
starting to get more stable, it's time to ramp up the review process, so 
if you have been waiting for a reason to jump in, here it is.

Open one of the versions of the spec:

   One page version
   http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/

   Multipage version
   http://whatwg.org/html5

   A4 PDF
   http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/html5-a4.pdf

   Letter PDF
   http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/html5-letter.pdf

...and start reading! See below for ideas of what to look for.

If you find a problem, either send an e-mail to this mailing list, or file 
a bug (registration required) here:

   http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/enter_bug.cgi?component=Spec%20bugs&priority=P3&product=HTML%20WG&rep_platform=All


The plan is to see whether we can shake down the spec and get rid of all 
the minor problems that have so far been overlooked. Typos, confusion, 
cross-reference errors, as well as mistakes in examples, errors in the 
definitions, and major errors like security bugs or contradictions.

Anyone who helps find problems in the spec -- however minor --- will get 
their name in the acknowledgements section.

You don't really need any experience to find the simplest class of 
problems: things that are confusing! If you don't understand something, 
then that's a problem. Not all the introduction sections and examples are 
yet written, but if there is a section with an introduction section that 
isn't clear, then you've found an issue: let us know!

Something else that would now be good to search for is typos, spelling 
errors, grammar errors, and the like. Don't hesitate to send e-mails even 
for minor typos, all feedback even on such small issues is very welcome. 

If you have a specific need as a Web designer, then try to see if the need 
is met. If it isn't, and you haven't discussed this need before, then send 
an e-mail to the list. (So for example, if you want HTML to support date 
picker widgets, you'd look in the spec to see if it was covered. As it 
turns out, that one is!)

If you have some specific expertise that lets you review a particular part 
of the spec for correctness, then that's another thing to look for. For 
example if you know about graphics, then reviewing the 2D Canvas API 
section would be a good use of your resources. If you know about 
scripting, then looking at the "Web browsers" section would be a good use 
of your time.


If everything goes according to plan, I will respon to all issues by 
October. You can track how many issues remain to be responded to here:

   http://www.whatwg.org/issues/data.html


You are encouraged to join our IRC channel #whatwg on Freenode to stay in 
touch with what other people are doing, but this is by no means required. 
You are also encouraged to post in the Discussion section on the wiki 
page:

   http://wiki.whatwg.org/wiki/Reviewing_HTML5#Discussion

...or in the blog comments for the corresponding blog post:

   http://blog.whatwg.org/help-us-review-html5

...to let people know what you are reviewing. You can get news updates by 
following @WHATWG on Twitter.

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