Re: Consistency... and you expect us to get it right?

Hello,

In HTML (2.0, 3.2, 4.x), the case of the element names didn't
matter and some end tags were optional (an SGML feature).
XHTML has more constraints than HTML so that it is easier
to parse. One of these constraints is on the case of
the element names. 

The HTML 4.x specification (which I edited) used uppercase
element names to help the elements stand out from the
text. We also used lowercase attribute names. 

So, if you are using XHTML, use lowercase element names.
If you are using HTML, it doesn't matter (and many
HTML authors use uppercase element names).

Hope this helps,

 _ Ian

On Mon, 2003-12-15 at 22:26, Chester The Bear wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Your W3C standard clearly specifies that all HTML tags should now be in
> lower case.
> However, right through your site, you give example after example of code
> with UPPER CASE tags.
> 
> For instance... go to
> http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/present/styles.html#specifying-external
> 
> So... are tags upper or lower case?
> 
> You also state that every tag must have a corresponding end tag.  This is
> one of your examples from that page...
> 
> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN"
>    "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd">
> <HTML>
>   <HEAD>
>     <LINK href="special.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
>   </HEAD>
>   <BODY>
>     <P class="special">This paragraph should have special green text.
>   </BODY>
> </HTML>
> 
> And the end tag for <p xxxx> is where?
> 
> You are trying to the the Standards Authority, and you do great work... but
> if you are going to set the standard, you have to live by it.
> 
> Ian
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.551 / Virus Database: 343 - Release Date: 11/12/2003
-- 
Ian Jacobs (ij@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel:                     +1 718 260-9447

Received on Tuesday, 16 December 2003 09:08:38 UTC