HTML vs. XML arguments, relevance of

• From: Jon Bosak <bosak@atlantic-83.Eng.Sun.COM>
• Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 08:45:40 -0800
• To: w3c-sgml-wg@www10.w3.org
• CC: bosak@atlantic-83.Eng.Sun.COM
• Message-Id: <199612231645.IAA14424@boethius.eng.sun.com>

| Will people switch from HTML to XML just because they get the totally
| intangible and abstract benefit of arbitrary structure and generic
| markup?

I must remind everyone that it is not the purpose of this activity to
replace HTML.  The idea is to provide an alternative to HTML for
applications that need functionality beyond that provided by HTML
while leaving HTML in place for applications that don't need the extra
functionality.  So arguments that begin with sentences of the form
"Will people switch from HTML to XML just because" are irrelevent to
the discussion.

(This is not to say that people cannot have the replacement of HTML as
a private agenda, just that that agenda has to stay private.  It
cannot be adduced in support of an argument for a particular design
decision.)

Jon

Received on Monday, 23 December 1996 11:48:16 UTC