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

Received on Tuesday, 24 May 2011 18:03:52 UTC