Re: Design Principles Document update

At 04:43 AM 3/30/2007 -0400, Mike Schinkel wrote:

>Karl Dubost wrote:
>>     VisibleMetadata: Metadata is more effective when it is
>>     directly tied to user-visible data.
>>     Invisible metadata which are tied directly to the content
>>     are  in some circumstances difficult to maintain by authors.
>
>Maybe not perfect, but much better.  OTOH, how about this?
>
>    VisibleMetadata: Metadata is more effective when it is directly tied 
> to user-visible data. Invisible metadata which are tied directly to the 
> content are in some circumstances difficult to maintain by authors and in 
> others susceptible to be misused by spammers. Visible metadata is 
> preferrable where applicable, but invisible metadata is perfectly 
> acceptable in cases where there is a reasonable expectation of 
> maintenance and misuse is unlikely.


Sorry. I cannot support either position. These are design choices.
I don't think HTML's design should be restricted by the aforesaid opinion.
I do not need a design principle to tell me that it is "perfectly acceptable"
to hide my metadata -- this is not your mother's HTML.

The fact that there are human beings who have difficulty maintaining the
content of their HTML documents is not sufficient reason to limit my
ability to continue using "HTML as she are spoke"

If you want to go on the stump to promote your favorite coding style, knock
yourselves out. Just don't try to tie my hands with a design principle.
As I said before, I would rather see a set of specific REQUIREMENTS
for more/better ways to encode metadata rather than codify a 
VisibleMetadata bias.

Regards,

Murray

Received on Friday, 30 March 2007 15:02:14 UTC