Re: Change back the semantics of <cite>

Leif Halvard Silli writes:

> HTML 5 draft ... explains ... <cite> may only  be used for the title
> of a work.
>
> I have just stumbled upon a problem in this regard when looking at the
> <dialog> element, where <cite> would be the right element for singling
> out the acting object:
>
>  <dialog><dt><cite>Leif</cite>, HTMLwg member
>                 <dd>I propose <dl dialog> instead
> </dialog>

Why would <cite> be the right element for that?  Why does your name need
marking up at all there?

> Hence I propose the definition to change. The new text should say that
> <cite> is not a mark-up for "name" or "person". However, it is an
> element for marking up a source. And if the source is a person, then
> <cite> may indeed be used to mark up the reference to that person.

Why is having such an element useful?

Having an element for marking up the titles of works is useful because
they are usual formatted distinctly (typically italicized) in text, to
convey to readers that the title is not 'normal' text.  Conveying that
requires _some_ element.

Whereas people, even when sources, do not typically have their names
distinguished.  So using a <cite> for both prevents it from being able
to convey anything useful.

Smylers

Received on Thursday, 10 September 2009 22:17:13 UTC