Re: [CSS21] Test Suite

On Fri, 23 Jul 2004, Chris Lilley wrote:
>
> Do they have actual documentation?

Yes, as cited in this thread.


>> You don't have to cope with lots of rendering modes. Just trigger
>> standards more. To do that, just make sure the first thing in the
>> document is an HTML4 Strict DOCTYPE.
>
> Even if you don't conform to it. Its a flag, not a DOCTYPE. Apparently.

No, if you don't conform to it, you don't use it. Please don't confuse an
already misunderstood issue with incorrect, sarcastic, or flipant
statements, Chris. As the documentation mentioned above explains, you can
always use a correct valid DOCTYPE and trigger correct rendering,
whichever variant of HTML you are trying to use.


> This becomes more of a problem when the XHTML DOCTYPES are used as flags
> - using a different one, which is perfectly legal, might or might not
> trigger quirks mode.

This is also nonsense. Any XHTML content (sent using an XHTML MIME type)
will be treated in standards mode, regardless of DOCTYPE. The quirks mode
issue is only relevant for the "Tag Soup" MIME type.


> Is there a list of these triggers? Per browser/os/version, obviously, I
> don't imagine a single trigger works the same in all of them.

Yes, as cited in this thread.


I assume, from your tone, that you are trying to imply that DOCTYPE-
triggered rendering mode switching was a bad idea. I assure you that if it
hadn't been used, browsers would be much less compliant. There are
billions of documents out there, and most rely in pretty fundamental ways
on non-compliant renderings.

Insulting the work of everyone involved in improving standards compliance
in HTML UAs despite the existance of significant legacy content that is
not compatible with these standards by implying that one of their most
important solutions is in some way technically poor is disingenuous, and
suggests little understanding of the state of the Web.

-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'

Received on Friday, 23 July 2004 13:02:55 UTC