Re: [XHTML 2] removal of navigation list element

And one more thing...

Jim Ley wrote:

>One of problems I have with nl, is that you cannot have an ordered 
>navigation, which the role="navigation" method does give us.
>
The role attribute and its values are handy abstractions for use by 
document authors.  The predefined values in the XHTML namespace are such 
that it is possible to bind access keys to them, for example.  This was 
something that was created in conjunction with the W3C WAI folks.  There 
are a handful of predefined role values.  I expect this set will expand 
a little prior to completion of the document.  However, those 
pre-defined values are really to do with identifying interesting 
portions of ah XHTML document...

The role attribute is *not* a substitute for the built-in semantics of 
other XHTML elements.  @role="navigation" implies that the content of 
that element is part of the navigation information for the document.  
The "nl" element says that this list contains navigable links.  The 
former is potentially much richer from a content perspective. The later 
is a clear instruction to the user agent, and has some defined (default) 
presentation.  You could create nice, portable navigation menus using 
"nl" without using any styling.  The same could not be said for 
@role="navigation".  At least, I don't think so.

-- 
Shane P. McCarron                          Phone: +1 763 786-8160 x120
Managing Director                            Fax: +1 763 786-8180
ApTest Minnesota                            Inet: shane@aptest.com

Received on Tuesday, 31 May 2005 15:19:27 UTC