Re: [w3ctag/design-reviews] MathML Core (#438)

To be more concrete about why leaf elements are common in MathML, take a look at the [NIST Digital Library of Mathematical Functions (DLMF)](https://dlmf.nist.gov/) which uses MathML. If you go to almost any page with math, many of the leaves are linked to their definitions (you need to mouse over to see that). E.g., on [the page about binomial coefficients](https://dlmf.nist.gov/1.2), the 'm' and 'n' point to a definition about integers and the 'z' to one about complex numbers.  On other pages, function names for 'cos' and 'sin', along with esoteric functions point off to their definitions (and alternative representations). I believe the DLMF site's usage of links is pretty common for encyclopedic sites.

When the leaf element is not the appropriate place to put a link, `mrow` is often used. `mrow` is the `span` of MathML. It would be _really_ nice in the future to be able to attach a Shadow DOM to it. Ideally, I'd like to see attaching a Shadow DOM to `mrow` when `href` is not present and not allowing the attachment if it is present. However, I lack the expertise to know if such a conditional option is within the realm of possibility even if attaching a Shadow DOM to most MathML elements is deemed legal in the future.

Note: MathML is used in contexts outside of the web, so the MathML full spec _allows_ a web schema or other schema to be defined. `<a>` could be added to the full spec, but the name doesn't fit the existing naming scheme for MathML elements and enforces all of the web semantics attached to it on it, which is why `ma` is the proposed new element name. The full spec would like want to mention only the use cases relevant to MathML. MathML Core, being tied to the Web would define `ma` as being equivalent to `a`.

-- 
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub:
https://github.com/w3ctag/design-reviews/issues/438#issuecomment-644412830