Re: SGML SHORTTAGS Feature usage in HTML 4.x Recommendation.

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[To: www-html@w3.org]

On 13 Nov 2002, William F Hammond wrote:

> I think this issue comes down to the question of whether HTML 4.01 is
> an SGML application (and nothing more than that) or whether HTML 4.01
> is its *own thing* with which there is a canonically associated SGML
> application[1].

Clearly HTML is an SGML application because according to section 4.2 of
HTML 4.01 spec

``HTML 4 is an SGML application conforming to International Standard ISO
8879 -- Standard Generalized Markup Language SGML (defined in
[ISO8879]).''

> The latter is correct.  For example, one cannot make it a requirement
> in an SGML application that there be a formal public identifier since
> from the point of view of the strict SGML world an SGML document is
> the full assemblage.

I believe the above is also true.  Clearly HTML is not an SGML application.

Basically the HTML specification is inconsistent.  I'm sure the W3C is
aware of this.  I'm not sure why it doesn't bother them.  I know it keeps
me awake at night.

- -- 
Russell O'Connor            <http://www.math.berkeley.edu/~roconnor/>
``[Law enforcement officials] suggested that the activists were stopped
not because their names are on the list, but because their names resemble
those of suspected criminals or terrorists.'' -- SFGate.com
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Received on Sunday, 17 November 2002 03:23:50 UTC