Re: XBL is (mostly) W3C redundant, and CSS is wrong W3C layer for semantic behavior *markup

I hope that reasonable people in this list could agree on some compromise
axioms:

1. Specification _defines_ semantics.  Specification also controls
_conforming_ semantics, because _conforming_ implementation must create
semantics which conform to specification.

2. Specification also _defines_ non-conforming semantics.  However,
specification does NOT _control_ non-conforming semantics, because
non-conforming implementation does not create semantics which conform to
specification.  By definition, it is out of control.

3. Since no implementation can be perfect (bugs always exist), then no
implementation is perfectly conforming.  Even our ability to measure
conformance will have bugs.  Even our specifications will have bugs.  Thus
all implemention is to some degree out of control.

4. Since no implemention is perfectly conforming, then specification never
perfectly controls semantics.

5. When new tags are created (especially when there is only one
implementation), then the implementation semantics is the semantics.
Whether the implemented semantics are conforming, depends on the condition
of any specification.  It is possible that there will not be a well
developed normative specification for thousands of new tags created by
millions of authors using XBL or XSLT.

If we can agree on these statements, then I can agree with those who say
conformance to normative specifications is very important.  And I will also
be able to show why putting the semantic implementation of new tags at the
markup transformation layer is superior to XBL.

Before I proceed to show that to list, I need reasonable agreement on
issues above.

-Shelby Moore

Received on Sunday, 5 January 2003 04:25:46 UTC