Re: [csswg-drafts] [css-nesting] Problem with mixing properties and selectors (#8249)

I'm not asserting that the WG will resolve in favor of an at-rule based approach, or even seriously trying to bring about that outcome (though I do currently favor it slightly). I did propose the look-ahead approach after all, and fought hard to make it happen, so I am obviously fine with it.

My concern is that a non-at-rule based approach has long-term ramifications, there are language constraints and author foot-guns still (though much smaller ones than we had before). And I'm not convinced that all the WG members fully understood those during the previous decisions. As I said above, when I mentioned some of them in calls, there was surprise, so it's obviously new data to some that may have changed the prior outcomes, and is therefore cause to at least re-confirm the prior decisions in light of this new data. 

I really just want affirmative consent from the WG, given the current understanding of all the costs before we continue down the current path. When judging those costs, I feel it's essential to consider them in light of an alternative approach, because this isn't a case of 'look-ahead or nothing', we do have another option and nothing us is stopping us from taking it except ourselves.

At the end of the day, if we do an at-rule based approach now, we can always add the look-ahead approach later and make the at-rule optional. (I'd also feel a lot more comfortable making that call later when things have settled down and emotions and stakes aren't running as high as they are now, making decisions under pressure tends to run towards bad outcomes.) Once look-ahead ships (for real, with WG consent), we can never walk it back if we later find the costs are too high and will be stuck with them for the foreseeable future. 

As I said, once again, parser changes are dangerous, we need to treat them with care. While an at-rule solution won't make as many people happy today, it's a lot safer, won't potentially cause problems down the road, and doesn't preclude us taking the next step later.  

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Received on Thursday, 6 April 2023 23:08:34 UTC