Re: CR exit criteria and features at risk for HTML5

On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 7:12 AM, Boris Zbarsky <bzbarsky@mit.edu> wrote:

> On 8/16/12 5:55 AM, Sam Ruby wrote:
>
>> Or an HTML 5.1.
>>
>
> Sure.  But why is it preferable to have an HTML 5.0 REC now if we know
> that we will definitely need a 5.1 soon and even know which spec sections
> will cause us to need it?  I would like to understand that part.  I'm not
> saying it's the wrong course of action; I just want to understand the
> reasoning!
>

There are a number of formal standards organizations waiting on HTML5 to
reach REC (in any form whatsoever) so that they may publish standards
documents that formally reference HTML5. Most of these organizations do not
allow a spec/standard to go to a final state when a referenced
spec/standard is not final. Many members of the W3C are active in such
organizations and are participating in the W3C primarily for the purpose of
helping to accelerate HTML5 to REC. These members and organizations fully
expect HTML5 to be revised, through errata, 2nd, 3rd editions, etc., and
new minor revs (5.1...).

>From this perspective the goal is to get to REC ASAP regardless of the
quality level (spec correctness, testing, etc), though of course the hope
is that quality level will be as high as possible given other constraints.
But nobody expects a spec this size to be bug free.

Bottom line: do whatever it takes to publish HTML5 REC ASAP!