Re: [css3-selectors] Explanation of what an id is should be non-normative

* Boris Zbarsky wrote:
>Selectors level 3 section 1.2 says [1]:
>
>   All of the text of this specification is normative except examples,
>   notes, and sections explicitly marked as non-normative.
>
>Given that, it seems that the first paragraph of section 6.5 [2] and the 
>first sentence of the second paragraph are currently normative.  I can't 
>figure out what normative requirements this text would actually impose 
>on a Selectors implementor.  It would make a lot more sense if that 
>first paragraph and first sentence of the second paragraph were 
>non-normative.  In fact, it more or less fits the dictionary definition 
>of "informative"...

There is a very simple way to read specifications: if they or their re-
ferences say anything that contradicts something then there is a problem
and if there is nothing that contradicts anything then there isn't. It's
perfectly normal to have text that establishes context to help readers
understand the requirements and we are not going to mark every sentence
that doesn't contain a conformance requirement as non-normative, nor is
there a point in saying that sentences without conformance requirements
do not contain conformance requirements. "Normative" means you probably
have to read this to fully understand what is being specified, and "non-
normative" means you probably do not necessarily have to read this. It
may be possible to identify a minimal set of sentences in css3-selectors
that must be read to understand the specification, and mark them up, but
I do not see how that could be a good use of anyone's resources.
-- 
Björn Höhrmann · mailto:bjoern@hoehrmann.de · http://bjoern.hoehrmann.de
Am Badedeich 7 · Telefon: +49(0)160/4415681 · http://www.bjoernsworld.de
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Received on Thursday, 20 October 2011 00:19:20 UTC