Re: More comments on validator and HTML4

Vidiot wrote:
> 
> I added a DOCTYPE to www.vidiot.com/forumdisplay.html so that I
> look for other errors.  What I came up with has surprised me.
> 
> 1) <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
>    This error has been mentioned before, so I'm probably beating a
>    dead horse, but to force the TYPE attribute on the world is going
>    to be like leading a horse to water.  You can't make it drink.
>    All of the Javascript examples that I have seen out on the web
>    all use the above to describe the script language type.  It is
>    never going to go away.  If you want to use TYPE, fine.  But don't
>    deprecate LANGUAGE.  Allow both.  Have the HTML document strongly
>    urge the usage of TYPE, but don't kill LANGUAGE.

I don't think "language" has ever been part of an HTML standard.
So no way to deprecated it.
 
> 2) Error: required attribute "ALT" not specified
>    Really?  I understand the need for ALT within IMG, but to require
>    it?  Browsers certain to not refuse to display pages because the
>    attribute is missing.  I personally always use them, but to
>    require them is a bit much.  I would strongly urge the optional
>    use of the attribute and fully describe the reason for the use in
>    the HTML 4 document.

The reason is accessibility for people with disabilities. Without a
description,
images, video, sounds, and other content is simply not useful to people
with disabilities. Therefore "alt" is necessary to make the Web
accessible.
Don't forget that a text equivalent is also useful to 250 million mobile
telephone users as well...

[snip]
 
> 4) Line 259, column 120:
>       ... eryone Looking for Brendan's Autograph from the M&M Board -
> Click Here ...
>                                                            ^
>    Error: general entity "M" not defined and no default entity
> 
>    Am I missing something here?  The & character is not illegal.  To
>    require that the & character be defind as an entity is going too
>    far.  The validator should ignore the & character if there isn't
>    a ; to close the entity within a certain number of characters.

You need to represent "&" as "&amp;".
 
> General comment on the HTML4 PDF document.  When the document is
> printed,
> which I have done, it is tough to find a page because for some
> unknown reason, the page numbers are in the INSIDE of the printed
> page instead on the OUTSIDE of the printed page.  Please move the
> date/section info to the inside and the page number to the outside.
> Yes, I printed the document double-sided.

Noted, thank you.

-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs

Received on Sunday, 30 January 2000 22:44:14 UTC