[whatwg] The new content model for <details> breaks rendering in MSIE5-7

[Tab Atkins Jr.]

On Sun, Oct 4, 2009 at 4:13 AM, Keryx Web <webmaster at keryx.se> wrote:
> I am arguing in favor of introducing a new element, which would be the zero
> cost solution, since <details> is new anyway.

It's not a zero-cost solution, though.  It introduces *another* nearly
identical heading-type element to the language, joining the ranks of
the dozen+ we already have.  Trying to remember what heading-type
element to use in <details> as opposed to in <fieldset> or
what-have-you is a learning nightmare of a different variety.

> + No hacks besides those that we already use to get details working as such
> in legacy browsers.

<dt> only requires extra hacks in two browsers that are on the way
out.  Given a little bit more time they'll be gone completely, and we
can stop worrying about this.

> + When implementing details the browser vendors will not have a harder time
> using a new element than they would using dt/dd.

I'm not certain what you mean by this.  Indeed they won't have a
harder time - the difficulty will be the same either way.

> + We would keep the several meanings per element count down, which from a
> teachability POV is more important than keeping the total number of elements
> down.
>
> And from that POV nuances are often harder to pick up than anything else.

Just teach <dt>/<dd> in a way that makes this easier to learn.

~TJ