SVG in text/html (was: @role in SVG)

Hi, Henri-

Henri Sivonen wrote (on 10/12/2007 7:23 AM):
> 
> We don't do inline SVG in text/html yet. Personally, I hope we'll get 
> there. However, if we do, the main SVG complications will be the xlink 
> mapping, the /> syntax and SVG-native camelCaps. I don't think it is a 
> good idea to introduce more complications if we are already entertaining 
> inline SVG in text/html as a possibility.

Thanks for outlining the challenges to integrating SVG into text/html, 
from an HTML5 standpoint.  That's very helpful.

I also want that to happen, and would like to facilitate that when the 
time comes.  Also like you, I do have certain concerns about how it's 
done.  I'll give you my viewpoint (which is not necessarily shared by 
the rest of the SVG or CDF WGs).

 From a technical and market viewpoint (an odd pairing, perhaps), I feel 
very strongly that SVG-in-HTML should maintain identical markup syntax 
with standalone SVG (or SVG-in-XHTML, and probably X/HTML-in-SVG); any 
differences between the two syntaces would be actively harmful to SVG. 
For example, someone who copy-pasted an SVG fragment from HTML and tried 
to use it as a standalone file, or imported it into an SVG file (perhaps 
in an automated mashup) would get unexpected and probably disastrous 
results.  Those inconsistencies would leave casual authors with a bad 
impression of SVG, and force advanced authors to make elaborate 
workarounds.  The goal, from the perspective of the SVG WG, would be to 
make it easier --not harder-- for authors, and to increase the use of 
SVG (and specifically not to drive authors into the hands of vendors of 
proprietary formats).  I'm not saying that the SVG WG is not willing to 
consider reasonable compromises, just that the end result of should be a 
uniform syntax for SVG.

 From a logistics standpoint, this work should be done in coordination 
between the HTML, SVG, and CDF Working Groups.  All have a vested 
interest in it, and each has a unique set of perspectives, needs, and 
knowledge.  Perhaps we can begin talking about it at the upcoming Tech 
Plenary.  We are all busy with other things right now, but opening the 
dialog will prepare us for what we'll need to consider going forward.

Regards-
-Doug Schepers
W3C Staff Contact, SVG, CDF, and WebAPI

Received on Friday, 12 October 2007 16:09:35 UTC