Re: Justification for the cite attribute on ins&del

Hi James,
>Even though @cite is not specially handled by browsers

The cite attribute content (on the blockquote element) is announced to users
of JAWS 8.0 + user agent.


On 17/10/2007, James Graham <jg307@cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>
> Mark Birbeck wrote:
> >>> Which means the *last* thing one should use as a yardstick by which to
> >>> determine inclusion in a standard, is whether it has been adopted by
> >>> one or other browser vendor!
> >> When a feature has failed for a decade in terms of implementation
> >> priorities, I think it reasonable to consider implementation status--
> >> especially if we wish the spec move to REC one day with two full
> >> interoperable *implementations*.
> >
> > But you don't offer any "reasonable" criteria on which to suggest that
> > @cite or any other feature has "failed". Obviously you can keep
> > asserting that the acid test is whether browser vendors chose to
> > implement something, but I'm sorry, that argument is really difficult
> > to take seriously when viewed in the light of the browser stagnation
> > of the last few years.
>
> A reasonable criteria is this: is anyone using @cite for something
> compelling? Even though @cite is not specially handled by browsers,
> javascript could be used to provide any special in-page processing
> required. Alternatively the use might be directed at some non-browser
> UA. To me a necessary condition for a use to be compelling is that the
> functionality provided does not depend on a specific agreement between
> the content producer and consumer about the semantics of the attribute
> beyond those of HTML 4.
>
> Are there such examples for @cite? I do not recall encountering any use
> at-all let alone any compelling use.
>
> --
> "Mixed up signals
> Bullet train
> People snuffed out in the brutal rain"
> --Conner Oberst
>
>


-- 
with regards

Steve Faulkner
Technical Director - TPG Europe
Director - Web Accessibility Tools Consortium

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