- From: fantasai <fantasai@escape.com>
- Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 14:06:58 -0400
- To: www-style@w3.org
Dylan Schiemann wrote: > > For example, when you use the tag p for paragraphs, you are semantically > applying a definition of paragraphs. Additionally, most user agents > give a default style of a margin of 1em on top and bottom. p elements > have traditionally had their very own implicit presentational behavior. *Most* user agents, not all. <p> does not say "Put 1em margins at the top and bottom." It says "This is a paragraph." I can have a paragraph with 0 margins and a 2em text-indent, and that will neither diminish nor contradict the semantic paragraph declaration. I cannot, however, use an italic font instead of a bold font if the author specifies <b>. <b> means boldface, not emphasis. I cannot increase the font size, or put a red border around it, or read it louder, or use a fantasy font. The tag says nothing about drawing attention to the element. It only says, "Make this use a boldface font." If I cannot make it boldface then I should leave it alone. Unlike the paragraph tag, it is specifying a specific presentation, not the reason or purpose behind the presentation. This is why <b> is presentational markup and <p> is not. ~fantasai
Received on Monday, 19 August 2002 14:03:03 UTC