Generic LIST Element Proposal

I wish to propose a wholesale reworking of the list mechanism for HTML 
Version 3.  With the introduction of style sheets I believe that all the 
various types of lists with their separate HTML element names (e.g. OL, UL, 
DL, MENU) with their different types of list element names (LI, DT, DD) and 
attributes that sometimes apply and sometimes don't is unnecessary.  I 
believe that the entire list mechanism can be specified more powerfully, 
more flexibly, and more simply, by replacing all these list types with a 
single generic element (LIST) and using style sheets.  My proposal 
predefines a few style values for the CLASS attribute for backwards 
compatibility with the Version 2 list mechanisms.  This single element in 
turn would have one definition for a list header (LH), one definition for a 
list item (LI), and one definition for a list item header (LIH).  Style 
sheets could in turn modify the way each of these were presented.

In this e-mail forum Ka-Ping Yee encouraged those who would complain to 
construct fully fleshed-out proposals.  I have accepted that challenge.  
Since the details of such a proposal are extensive, I have posted them on 
the Web.  This complete proposal, with comments and examples, is posted at:

  http://www.sandia.gov/sci_compute/lists.html

My hope is to generate discussion on the www-html@w3.org e-mail list 
concerning this proposal.  If the discussion is basically favorable I will 
reformat the proposal into a separate Internet draft, or offer help to the 
IETF HTML working group to make the changes in the current HTML 3 draft to 
incorporate this proposal, whichever is more appropriate.

While you are welcome to send comments to me directly, I would urge you to 
use the www-html@w3.org e-mail list as the forum for this discussion.
__________________________________________________________________________

Michael J. Hannah                         "Opinions are mine only,
Scientific Computing Systems               and will change without notice
Department 13918, Mail Stop 0806           whenever appropriate."

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Received on Monday, 31 July 1995 18:34:18 UTC