Re: [XBL] - please remove reference to HTML5

On 11/01/2007, at 10:35 AM, Anne van Kesteren wrote:

>> Regarding (2):  You say: "Do you have a pointer?" Are you asking  
>> for a
>> pointer to Dean's email (if so, it's earlier in the same thread),  
>> or are
>> you asking for a pointer to the fact that it is inappropriate to  
>> include a normative reference to specs that change at the whim of  
>> the authors? If the latter, sorry, I don't have a pointer, but I  
>> expect somewhere in the
>> standards world somehow has written up something to this effect.  
>> It's just common sense and accepted practice. Without this, the  
>> standards world would have chaos.
>
> I'm not convinced.

I'm not sure convincing you of this makes much difference. The reason  
for the request is what Jon mentions below: that HTML5 doesn't have a  
formal process or patent policy (amongst other things). For those  
simple reasons, it is inappropriate and potentially dangerous to  
normatively reference the specification.

If HTML5 was published by a recognised standards body with a clear  
royalty-free licensing arrangement then it would be acceptable to  
reference it.

Dean

>
>
>> I can't believe this notion would even be challenged. Instead
>> of you asking me to provide a pointer to show that this is defined  
>> policy, I ask you to find an approved Recommendation at W3C that  
>> makes a normative reference to a spec that is maintained by an  
>> organization without a formal process or patent policy and what  
>> openly says its specs are subject to
>> change.
>
> This is not a recommendation and won't be for the foreseeable future.
>