RE: Layout versus data tables proposal for null summary attribute

[JMS] Phill Jenkins wrote:
<blockquote> 
Layout tables are those tables in HTML that do NOT have row and/or
column headings (TH's), do NOT have Captions, and do NOT have other
mark-up associated with tabular data for which the table markup was
originally specified.   

Data tables are those tables in HTML that do or should have row and/or
column headings (TH's), do or should have captions, and do or should
have other markup, such as summary, scope, and other attributes and
elements associated with tabular data. 

[JMS]  I like the proposal to use the null summary attribute to identify
layout tables. Another test for layout tables: moving the contents of a
cell to a different location in the table does not change the meaning of
the contents.  (For example, a link to the Home page is still a link to
the home page even if it's moved from C1 R1 to C72 R106).  In a data
table, moving data from one cell to a different location in the table
means that it now represents something else (try moving around the times
on a bus schedule).
 
John Slatin