[Bug 9178] add definition of "conforming document"

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=9178

Ian 'Hixie' Hickson <ian@hixie.ch> changed:

           What    |Removed                     |Added
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Status|ASSIGNED                    |RESOLVED
         Resolution|                            |NEEDSINFO

--- Comment #10 from Ian 'Hixie' Hickson <ian@hixie.ch> 2010-10-12 06:54:41 UTC ---
(In reply to comment #5)
> 
> It would be desirable to clarify the applicability of the term "conforming
> document" in cases where "applicable specifications" had been used to augment
> or change the base HTML5 specification.  I believe that is ultimately a very
> important and deep concern that remains unaddressed.  Given the current
> ambiguity, someone could write a specification that very radically changes the
> HTML5 base, perhaps even maliciously, and claim "oh, mine is an 'applicable
> specification', so what you get when you write to my new spec is a 'conforming
> HTML5 document'".

Yes, they could. But all _you_ have to do is say "well I'm not writing things
to your specification" and then that specification doesn't count as an
"applicable specification" for your purposes.

This is exactly what happens with _every_ specification. If everyone in a
community agrees that something applies, then it applies. If they don't think
it applies, then for them it doesn't.

I've tried to add a note to the spec discussing this.


> Wouldn't it be better to require that such documents be
> referred to as "conforming to HTML5 as modified by my-malicious-spec-X" (or in
> the more likely example "conforming to HTML5 as modified by
> my-nonmalicious-spec-that-makes-significant-and-perhaps-otherwise-incompatible-changes"? 

What would such a requirement mean? How would you test it? What conformance
class could pass it? What happens if someone decides that that requirement
doesn't apply to them?


EDITOR'S RESPONSE: This is an Editor's Response to your comment. If you are
satisfied with this response, please change the state of this bug to CLOSED. If
you have additional information and would like the editor to reconsider, please
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Status: Partially Accepted
Change Description: see diff given above
Rationale: see above

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Received on Tuesday, 12 October 2010 06:54:48 UTC