XML Version and our recommendations

(copying Benjamin since he is not on our mailing list).

Benjamin pointed out today that it is likely very difficult for people 
reading our recommendations to know that we require XML 1.0 *only*.  I 
know this, and you all know this (probably), and a standards lawyer 
reading XHTML M12N 1.0 / 1.1 and XHTML whatever might get there, but for 
people writing XHTML documents this is not really explicitly stated 
anywhere.

This arose because someone went and validated a document that had an xml 
declaration that cited version 1.1.  It validated just fine!  But it 
probably shouldn't.  And at the very least, we should be explicit in our 
conformance clauses that this is not a good thing.

I proposed the text like the following to Benjamin, and he seemed to 
feel it might help:

     "Note that all XHTML Family specifications, including this one,
      are based upon XML 1.0.  Conforming Documents that contain an
      XML declaration MUST only reference version 1.0 in that XML
      declaration.  Conforming User Agents MUST support processing
      as required by XML 1.0."

With suitable references to the conformance clauses and normative 
references of XHTML M12N 1.1.  Any objections to adding these simple 
statements to our PERs?  They have apparently not been published yet.

-- 
Shane P. McCarron                          Phone: +1 763 786-8160 x120
Managing Director                            Fax: +1 763 786-8180
ApTest Minnesota                            Inet: shane@aptest.com

Received on Monday, 26 January 2009 21:58:28 UTC