Re: [CSS21] Make XHTML <body> magic just like HTML <body>

On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 23:24:18 +0200, Simon Pieters <zcorpan@gmail.com>  
wrote:
>> Special casing the body in HTML is a legacy feature and inconsistent
>> with everything else. Since XHTML is served with a different content
>> type, its the ideal time to eliminate the inconsistency.
>
> I don't particularly like it either, but we're stuck with it for HTML.  
> Having differences between HTML and XHTML is confusing for authors.

The rule was introduced as a compromise because of shortcomings in IE 3.  
We could declare this as great behaviour, and enshrine it for all  
eternity, but let's face it, it is a kludge, and an ugly pockmark on CSS.

When XHTML1 came along the CSS WG rightly saw it as an opportunity to  
start phasing out the concept of magic elements. If we are interested in  
making HTML and XHTML work consistently, then better to make the  
consistent behaviour the simpler, desirable one, and deprecate the concept  
of magic elements.

Steven Pemberton

Received on Tuesday, 17 April 2007 17:53:30 UTC