Void elements in HTML (Was: ZIP-based packages and URI references into them ODF proposal)

On Tue, 30 Dec 2008, Julian Reschke wrote:
> 
> > Furthermore, not ever introducing new void elements is hardly a fix to 
> > the problem of not being able to introduce new void elements!
> 
> The problem is *not* the inability to introduce them. The problem is the 
> inability of producers and consumers to decide which syntax to use for 
> unknown elements.

I don't understand. Producers know which syntax to use because the spec 
very precisely defines the exact syntax to use in the "Writing HTML 
documents" section, and consumers know how to process this syntax because 
of the very precise rules in the "Parsing HTML documents" section.

What's the problem?


> > In any case, in this particular case the problem isn't unsurmountable. 
> > Introducing new void elements is painful, but it's not impossible. 
> > Indeed HTML5 introduces several new void elements.
> 
> Yes, and that is a problem. It shouldn't be doing that, and it also 
> should state once for all that new void elements can not be added 
> anymore.

Why not? Void elements are great, and other than a little pain every few 
years when new ones are introduced, they don't cause any long-term 
problems. After all, the pain caused by new void elements is minute 
compared to the pain of actually implementing those new elements.

-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'

Received on Tuesday, 30 December 2008 12:55:08 UTC