Re: <!DOCTYPE html> vs (polyglot) spec

Maciej Stachowiak, Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:12:54 -0700:
> On Apr 26, 2010, at 9:09 AM, Leif Halvard Silli wrote:
> 
>> Chairs, editors, members,
>> 
>> I suggest the following HTML5 spec changes:
>> * make all HTML5 examples use UPPERCASE syntax for <!DOCTYPE HTML> [2]
>> * say that editors MAY - or SHOULD - use a XHTML compatible
>>  DOCTYPE, in combination with a valid namespace string as
>>  an XHTML syntax trigger
>> 
>> A) Should I file bugs for this?
>> B) Can we have polyglot product to file bugs against?
>> 
>> Background info:
>> 
>> The HTML5 doctype is defined as an "ASCII case-insensitive match" of
>> the uppercased string <!DOCTYPE HTML>.  [1]  The HTML5 spec however
>> appears silent on the fact that for XHTML5, then the 'DOCTYPE' string
>> must be uppercased. While the 'html' part must be lowercased. This has
>> implications for polyglot editing tools.
> 
> In that case, shouldn't we recommend <!DOCTYPE html> instead of 
> <!DOCTYPE HTML>?

In what way would that help KompoZer to know whether to operate with 
XHTML compatible HTML syntax or HTML4 alike HTML syntax?

And ... instead of <!doctype html>? Instead of <!doCtypE hTMl>? Both 
are valid versions of the the doctype when served as text/html. All are 
also valid forms of the 'DOCTYPE HTML' string in a HTML4 doctype. 
Despite that the W3 HTML4 validators defaults to lowercase, the HTML4 
spec always writes those letters in uppercase. And so do HTML5 (except 
in some of its examples). I am not even sure that it is in this working 
group's power to in anyway link the lowercase version 'text/html', when 
it is specifically linked to the syntax of XHTML ('html' represents the 
root element).

And in what *way* would you recommend it? Make validators warn? Make 
them display an error message? And *why* always recommend the XHTML 
compatible form? To encourage polyglot authoring, *always*?

My suggestion only related to *editing*. To emphasize the difference of 
the two serializations, it seem more wise to say that editors MAY 
default to uppercase, for the text/html serialization. 

That said: Although a MAY would work whenever the editor application 
has full control, what about documents edited in different editors?
-- 
leif halvard silli

Received on Monday, 26 April 2010 21:45:17 UTC