Re: Uses of <I>
Abigail (abigail@uk.fnx.com)
Mon, 05 Aug 1996 13:52:33 +0100
Message-ID: <3205EE91.15FB7483@uk.fnx.com>
Date: Mon, 05 Aug 1996 13:52:33 +0100
From: Abigail <abigail@uk.fnx.com>
To: www-html@w3.org
Subject: Re: Uses of <I>
Keith Calvert Ivey wrote:
>
> "Christopher R. Maden" <crm@ebt.com> wrote about <I>:
>
> > I *never* use it otherwise. There's always a reason I think
> > it should be italicized. Title? Use <cite>. Foreign word?
> > Use <em>. Variable? Use <var>. Ditto boldface or
> > underlining.
>
> I agree that there's always a reason that something's
> italicized, but the reason can't always be described in the
> current state of HTML. That and automated conversion are the
> reasons I use <I>. I don't understand why marking a
> foreign word with <EM> when you're not emphasizing it is any
> better than marking it with <I>.
What if someone uses italics as default font? Maybe they
like it. Sure, you can say they shouldn't, but using ones
preferences is the _whole_ point of using HTML. If usage
of <I> in stead of <EM> becomes common practice, people are
forced to use non-italic default fonts, partially defeating
the whole point of HTML.
Abigail