Re: Justification for the cite attribute on ins&del

Mark Birbeck wrote:
>>> Which means the *last* thing one should use as a yardstick by which to
>>> determine inclusion in a standard, is whether it has been adopted by
>>> one or other browser vendor!
>> When a feature has failed for a decade in terms of implementation
>> priorities, I think it reasonable to consider implementation status--
>> especially if we wish the spec move to REC one day with two full
>> interoperable *implementations*.
> 
> But you don't offer any "reasonable" criteria on which to suggest that
> @cite or any other feature has "failed". Obviously you can keep
> asserting that the acid test is whether browser vendors chose to
> implement something, but I'm sorry, that argument is really difficult
> to take seriously when viewed in the light of the browser stagnation
> of the last few years.

A reasonable criteria is this: is anyone using @cite for something 
compelling? Even though @cite is not specially handled by browsers, 
javascript could be used to provide any special in-page processing 
required. Alternatively the use might be directed at some non-browser 
UA. To me a necessary condition for a use to be compelling is that the 
functionality provided does not depend on a specific agreement between 
the content producer and consumer about the semantics of the attribute 
beyond those of HTML 4.

Are there such examples for @cite? I do not recall encountering any use 
at-all let alone any compelling use.

-- 
"Mixed up signals
Bullet train
People snuffed out in the brutal rain"
--Conner Oberst

Received on Wednesday, 17 October 2007 22:41:05 UTC