requesting feedback regarding HTML5 and RFC 3987

In March 2011, the W3C's HTML WG made a decision to close ISSUE-56

when the parties involved could not come to agreement on aligning

HTML5 with the IRI WG's revisions to RFC 3987:

 

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2011Mar/0404.html

 

That decision effectively removed the HTML5 specification's

dependency on rfc3987bis.  It appears that this was done so that

the HTML5 specification could define how to translate input strings

contained in text/html documents into URIs.

 

However, our understanding is that ISSUE-56 can be reopened if new

information emerges, such as "IETF completing production of a

document suitable as a formal reference".  And of course as chairs

of the IRI WG we would like to deliver such a document.

 

Here is the minimum baseline that we understand is necessary in order

to meet the needs of the W3C's HTML WG:

 

1) The IRI specification will provide "MUST" language and normative

   algorithms for parsing arbitrary Unicode strings as IRI against

   an absolute base URL.

 

2) The IRI specification will define how to extract the hostname out

   of an IRI for proper resolution and application of the same origin

   policy.

 

3) The IRI specification will define how base URI referencing would

   be performed for hierarchical schemes.

 

The chairs would like to request feedback from the group, especially

those who are also participants in the HTML WG, about whether the

those three deliverables would be sufficient to meet the needs of

the W3C's HTML WG.  If so, we will follow up with more

detailed suggestions for moving toward resolution of those issues.

 

Marc Blanchet & Chris Weber, co-chairs, IRI WG