Re: Revamp HTML5 doctype sniffing?

Ian Hickson wrote:
> I don't understand the problem we're trying to solve here. Could you 
> elaborate? Why does it matter which way we go for specific DOCTYPEs, other 
> than trying to be consistent with as many browsers as possible?

Maybe my initial premise is wrong? Multiple browser modes are considered 
harmful. I was under the impression, that it is in our interest, to 
reduce the overload on the doctype switch when time allows us to do so.

Documents without doctype will always trigger quirks mode. But in x 
years, when HTML 5 is dominant, will it still be necessary to sniff for 
doctypes whose documents use neither CSS nor tables?

Of course, I see the need for consistency across browsers, but when half 
of them already trigger almost standards mode for HTML 4.0 doctypes and 
one of them will do so for at least another 10 years, does it really 
make no sense to change the implementation of browsers that will 
influence the web only 2-3 years in the worst case?
I'm aware that 100 sites are nothing compared to the global scope, but 
they do act as an indicator.

> Don't forget that HTML5 says that everyone should use "<!DOCTYPE HTML>", 
> which sidesteps the entire issue of what DOCTYPE to use and whether a 
> DOCTYPE triggers quirks mode or not.

This is my expectation.

Received on Sunday, 5 April 2009 07:41:35 UTC