[wbs] response to 'ISSUE-90: Removing the figure Element - Straw Poll for Objections'

The following answers have been successfully submitted to 'ISSUE-90:
Removing the figure Element - Straw Poll for Objections' (HTML Working
Group) for Gregory Rosmaita.



---------------------------------
Objections to the Change Proposal to Remove the figure Element
----
We have a Change Proposal to remove the figure element. If you have strong
objections to adopting this Change Proposal, please state your objections
below.  Keep in mind, you must actually state an objection, not merely cite
someone else. If you feel that your objection has already been adequately
addressed by someone else, then it is not necessary to repeat it.
Objections: 
i am not opposed to FIGURE providing a containing element for multiple
images that combine to produce a single narrative whole, as follows:

<FIGURE>
<LEGEND>Three Stages in the Life Cycle of a Frog</LEGEND>
<IMG src="frog-lc1" alt="Egg" longdesc="frog-lc1-desc.html"> 
<IMG src="frog-lc2" alt="Tadpole" longdesc="frog-lc2-desc.html"> 
<IMG src="frog-lc3" alt="Fully Grown Frog" longdesc="frog-lc3-desc.html">
</FIGURE>

in the above example, the FIGURE contains the 3 individual pieces of the
overall illustration, all of which are described by the LEGEND (as in the
FIELDSET/LEGEND/LABEL model familiar from forms in HTML4x); this provides a
stronger native binding for these page elements than would exist if FIGURE
were removed. alternately, if FIGCAPTION is also retained, then the above
example would be:

<FIGURE>
<FIGCAPTION>Three Stages in the Life Cycle of a Frog</FIGCAPTION>
<IMG src="frog-lc1" alt="Egg" longdesc="frog-lc1-desc.html"> 
<IMG src="frog-lc2" alt="Tadpole" longdesc="frog-lc2-desc.html"> 
<IMG src="frog-lc3" alt="Fully Grown Frog" longdesc="frog-lc3-desc.html">
</FIGURE>

one thing in the change proposal with which i strongly disagree is the
assertion that MathML is a graphical markup language -- The change proposal
at http://www.w3.org/html/wg/wiki/ChangeProposals/removefigure makes
several references to content that the author believes should be contained
in a FIGURE element, if such an element is to be retained, listing MathML
as appropriate content for a FIGURE element.  MathML is not a graphical
markup language, such as SVG, but a semantically-based XML-dialect which
can be represented in a specific stylized means -- that is, as a
mathematical expression -- but a mathematical expression is not a graphic,
but a convention for expressing mathematical functions.  MathML provides a
modality neutral means of expressing mathematical functions so that they
can be rendered in the modality that makes most sense/is most usable for a
particular user. Note, as well, that the ARIA role value "math" descends
from text, not a graphical representation of the mathematical expression.




---------------------------------
Objections to the Change Proposal to Keep New Elements and Attributes
----
We have a Change Proposal to keep several newly-introduced semantic
elements, attributes, and controls. If you have strong objections to
adopting this Change Proposal specifically with respect to the figure
element, please state your objections below.  Keep in mind, you must
actually state an objection, not merely cite someone else. If you feel that
your objection has already been adequately addressed by someone else, then
it is not necessary to repeat it.
Objections: 



These answers were last modified on 19 May 2010 at 14:54:17 U.T.C.
by Gregory Rosmaita

Answers to this questionnaire can be set and changed at
http://www.w3.org/2002/09/wbs/40318/issue-90-objection-poll/ until
2010-05-19.

 Regards,

 The Automatic WBS Mailer

Received on Wednesday, 19 May 2010 14:55:06 UTC