RE: Should validity be P1 or P2? (was RE: summary of resolutions from last 2 days)

<neil>
Is there any reason why you would need to deliver this functionality via
HTML when a perfectly valid alternative is available in XHTML.
</neil>

Yes, Neil, I agree that XHTML is where we want to be going and that is the 
path that IBM and the PF working group is pursuing.  Perhaps I should not 
have used the DHTML roadmap as an example since we are going the standards 
route and pursuing an XHTML solution.  I used it as a real world example 
that I hoped many on the list might be familiar with. I could find other 
HTML examples if necessary, the DHTML roadmap is the one I am most 
familiar with and could be implemented in HTML.  A previous post from Matt 
discussed the issues with XHTML and the lack of support today for 
application/xhtml+xml [1]. 

To use XHTML 1.1 correctly it should be served as application/xhtml+xml 
which I can not do if I want to reach a majority of users.   The W3C 
states that I should not serve XHTML 1.1[2] as text/html. So, perhaps my 
XHTML 1.1 can be made to pass validation with a customized DTD, but I'm 
still not really serving XHTML correctly according to the W3C. 

It is a chicken or egg situation.  If I use XHTML correctly I am serving a 
limited market.  If I use HTML I am violating the specification but I am 
reaching a larger market and perhaps moving my ideas forward more rapidly. 
 Which is correct?  From a standards view XHTML is correct, from a 
marketing perspective HTML is the correct answer. 

As I have stated before, I am not against pursuing standards but I do have 
to develop applications within the constraints of the web today where, 
unfortunately, it takes time for new standards to be supported. 

[1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl/2005AprJun/0766.html
[2]  http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml-media-types/#summary 

Becky Gibson
Web Accessibility Architect
                                                       
IBM Emerging Internet Technologies
5 Technology Park Drive
Westford, MA 01886
Voice: 978 399-6101; t/l 333-6101
Email: gibsonb@us.ibm.com

Received on Wednesday, 22 June 2005 20:07:28 UTC