Re: The X in HTML

Many thanks, Jonny : so if I understand correctly
(after an admittedly brief reading), the underlying
idea is that an XHTML document shall always be statically
parseable for validity by reference to the DTD, whereas 
with the "Xtensibility through macros" idea which I was 
postulating, parsing for validity wouldn't be possible until 
after all macros had been expanded (which isn't necessarily
a finite process).  I can certainly understand the desire
for static parsability, but on the other hand the overheads
of creating a custom DTD will, I suspect, make the
eXtensibility of XHTML little-used in practice.  Is there
really no case for a lightweight extensible language which
would allow the author to use tags of his or her own
choosing without the need for the formality of a DTD ?

** Phil.
--------
Jonny Axelsson wrote:

> XHTML uses "Extensibility through modules". There is a tutorial in
> <http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Guide/xhtml-m12n-tutorial/>. Here you can have
> hours of fun with the DTDs...
> 
> So, yes, the idea of XHTML is that it should be extensible and applicable to
> your needs. Most of the W3C and non-W3C XHTML Profiles use this mechanism.
> 
> Jonny Axelsson
> Documentation,
> Opera software

Received on Monday, 12 August 2002 12:00:52 UTC