Re: HTML forms, XForms, Web Forms - which and how much?

On Mon, 30 Apr 2007, Simon Pieters wrote:

>> WF2/XFT hybrid:
>> | <label>First name: <input name="firstname"></label>
>> | <label>Surname: <input name="surname"></label>
>> |
>> | <output calculate="'Hello, ' + firstname + ' ' + surname" />
>
> These are, I think, a lot harder to understand for someone who only knows 
> about HTML4+JS.

I think you are exagerating a bit. The idea of using an expression 
for a calculated value is simple enough, as the success of 
spreadsheets shows.

> Even I, who have read the XFT document, can't tell how 
> calculate="" really works or what can be put inside. How should we 
> expect authors who won't read the spec to understand it?

I suggest you look at the documentation and examples again. There is 
a grammar and it is really very simple.

The whole point is to make it easier to support authoring tools for 
people who don't know HTML, JavaScript or the DOM, although a 
smattering of such knowledge wouldn't harm.

It is easy to fall into the trap that because I as an individual 
know something, then everyone else also knows it. I suspect that 
most people on this list have an in-depth knowledge of HTML, CSS and
scripting, and as such aren't really representative of the rest of 
the population who want to build simple applications and find 
learning HTML, CSS, DOM, JavaScript etc. too much to contend with.


  Dave Raggett <dsr@w3.org> http://www.w3.org/People/Raggett

Received on Monday, 30 April 2007 10:33:29 UTC