[Bug 5752] New: Parsing should be specified for future updates

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=5752

           Summary: Parsing should be specified for future updates
           Product: HTML WG
           Version: unspecified
          Platform: All
               URL: http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/ParsingSpecifiedForFutureUp
                    dates
        OS/Version: All
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: Spec proposals
        AssignedTo: dave.null@w3.org
        ReportedBy: rob@robburns.com
         QAContact: public-html-bugzilla@w3.org
                CC: ian@hixie.ch, mike@w3.org, public-html@w3.org


We must specify the parsing algorithm for HTML5 to facilitate the easiest
adoption of new elements in the future.

 • UAs do not generally make use of DTD or other parsing definitions so parsing
is coded into the UA
 • Different UAs handle unknown (or new) elements in different
non-interoperable ways
 • Parsing unknown elements as block elements prevents the introduction to
legacy UAs of new inline elements (instead invoking implied P element clost
tags)
 • Parsing unknown elements as void elements prevents the introduction to
legacy UAs of new non-void elements
 • Parsing which moves unknown elements to the body from the head or from the
head to the body prevents the introduction of new elements
 • The lack of a shortcut mechanism to signal void elements requires the
cumbersome use of close tags for newly introduced void elements for legacy UA
processing

Parsing unknown elements as inline elements would be the most
forward-compatible approach, but also allowing solidus character for
self-closing of unknown elements would create greater flexibility without
breaking existing content. See the wiki page for further evolving solution
proposals. (http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/ParsingSpecifiedForFutureUpdates)

Following an approach for interim legacy bridging markup (including the
encouragement of <div p> instead of <p> ) would also allow maximal forward
compatibility. (see http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/InterimLegacyBridgingMarkup)


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Received on Saturday, 14 June 2008 08:49:01 UTC