Re: Promotion of XHTML

Russell O'Connor wrote to <www-html@w3.org> on 7 January 2003 in
"Promotion of XHTML"
(<mid:Pine.SOL.4.44.0212301305130.18274-100000@blue3.math.berkeley.edu>):

> It blows my mind that the W3C seems to bury it's head in the sand about
> the <br /> issues with ``compatibility'' between XHTML and HTML.  I just
> don't understand what they were thinking when they came up with such
> plainly false claims of compatibility.

The compatibility that exists in XHTML is with common user agents, not
with HTML.

But, anyway, HTML has never been an SGML application in any practical
way.  HTML was and is a fast and loose language, defined in part by
Requests For Comments and Recommendations, but also by the
functionaility of popular user agents.  The fact that HTML
documents can be written to be conforming SGML documents does not
make HTML SGML.  Calling HTML an SGML application is the part that I
would call sticking one's head in the sand.

-- 
Etan Wexler <mailto:ewexler@stickdog.com>

Received on Friday, 10 January 2003 00:54:45 UTC