Re: <STRIKE> is Content-Based

On Wed, 22 Apr 1998, Garth Wallace wrote:

> Why is the <STRIKE> tag deprecated?

The description of the physical markup elements in HTML 4.0 specification
suggests that style sheets should be used instead. On the other hand,
I'm sure the intention is that whenever there is a logical markup
element which corresponds to what the author really means, such an
element should be used.

> IMO, <STRIKE> has a meaning apart from its common representation.

The STRIKE element is _defined_ to be physical markup, specifying
rendering: strike-thru text style. (If you ask me, I'd suggest using
STRIKE only when an HTML document quotes some text in strike-thru
text style in a printed document or otherwise in a fixed form.)

> <STRIKE> denotes stricken text, text 
> that is in error or no longer valid, like a passage that has been 
> corrected but is still included for reference (like the 18th amendment 
> to the U.S. Constitution) or a full price during a sale.

This is probably the most common use, and for such purposes the new
DEL element is intended for; see
http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/struct/text.html#edef-del

For practical authoring in the current situation (where many, perhaps 
browsers, still ignore DEL tags), see suggestions at
http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/html40/fontstyle/strike.html

Yucca, http://www.hut.fi/u/jkorpela/

Received on Thursday, 23 April 1998 03:11:18 UTC