Re: AWWW 'somewhat unrealistic' -- Google

On Mon, 23 Jun 2008, Chris Lilley wrote:
> 
> Since this showed up in passing on an unrelated list, i thought it was 
> worth dropping a link here. google is now of the opinion that the 
> Architecture of the World Wide Web is 'unrealistic' and charters should 
> no longer make reference to it.

This was specifically referring to the issues raised (in particular in the 
HTML5 working group) regarding sections 4.2.1. Versioning, 4.2.3. 
Extensibility, 5.3. Error Handling, and others. Given the conflict between 
the ideal advice given in the AWWW document and the sad realities of the 
requirements of Web technologies, it seems unwise to charter groups to 
design languages based on the advice in AWWW until such time as AWWW has 
been updated to reflect those realities.

As far as I know this isn't controversial; these issues have been known 
for some time. The advice in AWWW isn't wrong per se, indeed it would be 
great advice to use when building a new technology stack from the ground 
up. When working groups have to deal with existing documents and have to 
integrate into the existing, gritty, "tag soupy" Web technology stack, 
however; it does a diservice to suggest that working groups ignore the 
realities and follow the theoretical advice without that advice calling 
out the places where it is at odds with existing practice.

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

Received on Monday, 23 June 2008 18:43:37 UTC