[uf-discuss] Comments from IBM/Lotus rep about Microformats

[Mike Schinkel]

Scott Reynen wrote:
> The next question I expect is: what if you want to use both 
> the microformats.org rel-license and your own conflicting 
> rel-license in the same document?  Well, you can't.  

And that is exactly the problem.

> Just like in natural language, if you want to start using symbols 
> with meanings that conflict with the established standard, 
> you need to be prepared to establish a new standard meaning.  

And that is not good for the web.

> And the usefulness of your new meaning, rather than some 
> central authority, will determine whether or not people use 
> it in place of the alternative meaning.

So, are you saying it would have been better not to have had the W3C specify
HTTP 1.1 and HTML 4.01 and instead let market forces prevail?  

-Mike Schinkel
http://www.mikeschinkel.com/blogs/
http://www.welldesignedurls.org/