[Bug 8038] New: Permit closing tag for new, void elements - for legacy compatibility = XHTML alignment

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=8038

           Summary: Permit closing tag for new, void elements - for legacy
                    compatibility = XHTML alignment
           Product: HTML WG
           Version: unspecified
          Platform: Macintosh
               URL: http://software.hixie.ch/utilities/js/live-dom-
                    viewer/saved/288
        OS/Version: Mac System 9.x
            Status: NEW
          Keywords: disputedSpec
          Severity: major
          Priority: P2
         Component: HTML5 spec bugs
        AssignedTo: dave.null@w3.org
        ReportedBy: xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no
         QAContact: public-html-bugzilla@w3.org
                CC: ian@hixie.ch, mike@w3.org, public-html@w3.org


Void elements needs workaround in legacy browsers (which means all current
browsers, except Webkit - see below). 

However, the competition isn't fair: In Internet Explorer, if you enable
support for elements via <script>document.createElement("element")</script>,
ending the element with "/>" will close the element as if it was XML, even if
we operate in the text/html serialisation.

In other legacy browsers without support for the new void elements, adding the
"/>" doesn't help. And thus the new void elements will need workarounds, such
as a wrapper element and so on.

Example with <source>: Per today, Safari is probaly the only released web
browser with support for <source> as a void element. Neither Opera 10 nor
Firefox support it as void element, despite that they support <video>.

There is a very simple "workaround" which woudl solve the issue in most user
agents: Make it permitted in the text/html serialisation of HTML 5 to add a
closing tag  for all, new, void elements.

Maciej outlined some requirements for closing tags for void elements:

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2009Oct/0887


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Received on Saturday, 24 October 2009 01:57:44 UTC