[uf-discuss] RFC: Proposal for general purpose microformat

[Dr. Ernie Prabhakar]

Hi Abramo,

On Dec 2, 2005, at 1:54 PM, Abramo Bagnara wrote:
> Can we reach an agreement that to use a "namespace" for microformats
> specific classes is a good thing?

That is an interesting question.  I know that Rohit has been asking  
that same question.  The conventional answer is that microformat  
classes *are* in fact the same classes you'd be using for normal CSS  
styling, so there's no need to call them out -- and besides,  
namespaces tend to confuse mere mortals.

Is that the right answer?  I don't know.  I haven't yet heard a fully  
convincing counter-argument, but there may be one.

To your example:

> With hCalendar I'm forced to this abbr abuse:

> <div>
> <span class="header">Optional partecipants: </span>
> <span class="attendee">
>   <abbr class="role" title="opt-participant"></abbr>
>   <a class="cn" href="mailto:abramobagnara at tin.it">Abramo Bagnara</a>
> </span>,
> <span class="attendee">
>   <abbr class="role" title="opt-participant"></abbr>
>   <a class="cn" href="litabanelli at racine.ra.it">Licia Tabanelli</a>
> </span>
> </div
>
> while with my proposal I can do the following:
>
> <div>
> <span class="header">
> <abbr title="opt-participant">Optional partecipants</abbr>
> </span>:
> <span class="xx:attendee= xx:@role=../abbr/@title">
>   <a class="xx:@cn xx:=@href"  
> href="mailto:abramobagnara at tin.it">Abramo
> Bagnara</a>
> </span>,
> <span class="xx:attendee= xx:@role=../abbr/@title">
>   <a class="xx:@cn xx:=@href" href="litabanelli at racine.ra.it">Licia
> Tabanelli</a>
> </span>
> </div>

Forgive me if I'm a little slow, but I'm unclear about i) where the  
problem is, and ii) how your version is any clearer. That use of  
'title' and 'abbr' seems exceedingly odd.  Why can't hCalendar  
already just do:

<div>
<h2><abbr class="role" title="opt-participant">Optional participants</ 
abbr></h2>:
<a class="attendee cn url" href="mailto:abramobagnara at tin.it">Abramo  
Bagnara</a>
<a class="attendee cn url" href="litabanelli at racine.ra.it"> Licia  
Tabanelli </a>
</div>

Am I completely misunderstanding how role and opt-participant are  
supposed to be used?  Is the problem that hCalendar wants 'opt- 
participant' to be a visible key with class 'role' rather than  
invisible one?

-- Ernie P.