introducing new semantics to HTML

I am not a supporter for using WAI defined 
classes for semantics, or for inventing special 
anchor names.

In my view, if WAI wants to add semantics 
to HTML, it should propose new elements (or attributes)
to extend HTML4.0. These elements should 
degrade gracefully to HTML4.0 browsers. 
E.g., a block level element NAVBAR with 
content %block; is fine with me.

This is better than giving semantics to the class
attribute in contradiction to the HTML spec. after people 
have been using it for more than two years, and accidentally 
may have used one of the WAI classes.

With named anchors there is the same problems but also
an additional one: 
When I write a website I choose the URLs and 
fragment identifiers to have some meaning in the 
human language of the document. It makes is easier 
to remember URLs or understand where links go to 
by looking at the status bar. That's one reason why XML 
allows ID to have non-ascii characters.

If you define a recommended anchor name, in 
what language should it be written?

Nir Dagan, Ph.D.
http://www.nirdagan.com
mailto:nir@nirdagan.com

"There is nothing quite so practical as a good theory." 
-- A. Einstein

Received on Monday, 16 November 1998 16:01:47 UTC