Re: [html4all] HTML5 Alternative Text, and Authoring Tools

On Fri, 2 May 2008, Julian Reschke wrote:
> 
> Although that for once I agree with Ian (with respect to @alt), *this* 
> is somewhat dubious argument.
> 
> In doubt, the default should be not to change HTML4.

Whether it should be or not, as far as HTML5 goes, the default ever since 
the work started in 2003/2004 has been "nothing". We very specifically 
have always worked from the baseline of an empty language, not HTML4, and 
have strived for compatibility with legacy existing user agents and 
documents, not HTML4.

As it happens, I do think a clean slate is a better default than starting 
with HTML4, because HTML4 is to vague and often too theoretical to really 
be used as a good default for most issues.

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

Received on Friday, 2 May 2008 17:06:22 UTC