Re: IDNA, IRI, HTML5 coordination

On Sep 16, 2009, at 8:43 AM, Larry Masinter wrote:

> Goal: bring together and coordinate the definitions
> of what is used for resource identification in the web and elsewhere
> (IRIs as the evolution of URL, URI, IRI, HREF, Web Address, etc.)
> within W3C, IETF and their specifications. See "design goals" below.
>
> Goal of this message: lay out the concerned groups, start discussion
> of process for coordination.
>
> I've bcc'd everyone except the public-iri@w3.org mailing list,
> archive http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-iri/ as the
> list proposed for discussion:
>
>
> My suggestion for how to get all of these groups to coordinate
> is to start an IETF working group with a charter to bring these
> specifications into alignment. I can't think of any other process
> which can accomplish the goal.
>
> PLEASE, PLEASE: if you're going to post an opinion, please at least
> cc public-iri@w3.org and try to keep discussion there.
>
> PLEASE: Separate 'process' issues (should there be a working group?
> Who else needs to be involved? What's the timing and when?) from
> technical issues.

I have some process questions:

1) What kind of timeline are we talking about?
2) Do we expect that HTML5 to depend on the ultimate product of this  
working group, or will some earlier spec (such as an updated IRIbis  
draft) meet its needs?

I ask because resource identifiers are currently a blocking issue for  
the HTML Working Group. We would like to take HTML5 to Last Call soon  
(within the next quarter or two), but we do not have a suitable  
reference to use for processing of resource identifiers. HTML5  
currently references the Web Address specification, which is not being  
updated or progressed along the standards track. IRIbis currently does  
not define many of the lenient processing algorithms needed by HTML5.  
Thus we are in a bind. If the new specification (which sounds like a  
great idea) is not ready soon, what should HTML5 use as an interim  
solution?

I can imagine a few possibilities: (a) move Web Address forward in the  
W3C or the IETF, with the expectation that it will be obsoleted in due  
course by the grand unified resource identifier spec; (b) put interim  
definitions in the HTML5 spec itself until the new spec is ready; (c)  
update the IRIbis draft ASAP so HTML5 can reference it, while waiting  
for the new Working Group to be formed and the new spec to be written.

Can anyone give guidance from an IETF perspective? Would it be  
problematic to pursue an interim solution?

Regards,
Maciej

Received on Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:50:24 UTC