Re: Page Valet error?

[ Copied to the w3c-validator mailing list - which is the primary forum
  for experts on the subject - in case anyone has something to add ]

On Mon, 5 Feb 2001, John A. Grant wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> Your Page Valet reports the following 'error':
> 
> Line 13, character 15: 
> <meta name="last_modified" content="20000301"> 
> Error: character _ is not allowed in the value of attribute NAME

My best stab at this is as follows:
  1.	The W3C specs make a normative reference to SGML, and hence
	to a DTD for HTML.  This is the fundamental principle of
	validation.
  2.	The HTML 4 DTDs declare NAME as being of type LanguageCode.
	I don't know why - that's just how it is.
  3.	This implies a reference to RFC1766.  I'm not about to check up
	on it now, but that should at least be the place to look.

> I think the error message is bogus. There is nothing in the W3C specifications that forbid the use of "_" in a metatag name.  If you believe the error message is valid, can you point me to supporting documentation?

If you think it's bogus, I'd suggest two things:
  1.	Try it on other validators (the W3C and WDG services)
  2.	Include a URL that demonstrates the problem.  If it really is
	a bug, then that's the first step in getting it fixed.

-- 
Nick Kew