HTML WG Decides against namespace-based features for distributed extensibility

Sam Ruby has just posted the HTML WG chairs' decision [1] on their ISSUE 
140, which is distributed extensibility. It's carefully written, it makes a 
number of detailed points, and I urge everyone concerned to read it 
carefully.  The TAG's input [2] is discussed.

At the risk of oversimplifying for those who choose not to read Sam's note, 
the net is: the case for distributed extensibility was not deemed 
sufficiently strong to merit changing the HTML specification.  The status 
quo stands, I.e., there will be no prefix-based namespace support for the 
text/html serialization.

As I understand it, the working group has resolved their issue and expects 
to put forward a Candidate Recommendation as described above. The usual W3C 
formal-objection mechanism would be the option if anyone is sufficiently 
unhappy with the design as planned.

Obviously, this decision is not in line with the expressed preferences of 
the TAG, but I would like to thank the chairs and the HTML WG membership 
for their consideration of our concerns.

Noah

[1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2011Feb/0085.html
[2] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-tag/2010Oct/0033.html