[uf-discuss] W3HTML WG, HTML5, semantics, and so on

[Maciej Stachowiak]

On May 11, 2007, at 3:15 PM, John Allsopp wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I'm not sure how many here (a few at least?) have been following  
> developments with the W3's HTML WG.
>
> In essence, the future of HTML will be HTML5:
>
> "We are resolved, then, that the W3C's next-generation HTML  
> specification be named "HTML 5" and to start review of the text of  
> the HTML 5 and WF2 specifications, and we welcome Ian Hickson and  
> Dave Hyatt as editors (while remaining open to the possibility of  
> other editors in the future)." [1]
>
> Of particular relevance to this mailing list is the way in which  
> HTML5 provides mechanisms for extending the semantics of HTML - and  
> the discussions around the issue of semantics in HTML generally.  
> This thread on the very busy mailing list (which is in effect is  
> now the official communications channel for the development of  
> HTML) should give a sense of the general way in which people  
> involved are thinking. [2]
> I'd argue that things don't look overly promising on that front at  
> present. Two mechanisms are currently used in HTML5
>
> 1. A small number of new HTML elements, like <copyright>

HTML5 does have new elements, some of which are mainly for semantic  
purposes, but it does not at present have a <copyright> element. Some  
of the new elements include <header>, <footer>, <section>, <article>  
and <aside>. HTML5 also applies semantics to some formerly  
presentation elements based on their most common use, for instance  
<small> is defined to be appropriate for details that would normally  
be in fine print.

> 2. "reserved" class values that coincide with currently widely used  
> class values in the wild (though whether any two instances of the  
> same class value will always imply the same thing is open to  
> consideration, at the very least).

The current proposal does have a predefined "copyright" class though.

> Unfortunately the HTML WG mailing list is ludicrously busy - 1000+  
> messages a week, so keeping up with it, and participating is,  
> frankly, impossible, but I do think it is an area in which  
> participants in this community have a significant amount of  
> theoretical and practical experience with, and the HTML 5 efforts  
> would definitely benefit from that. In the associated threads I've  
> seen very little mention of ufs, and where they have been  
> mentioned, somewhat critical (abbr pattern problems, even with ufs  
> no one uses profiles so HTML 5 should get rid of them ...)
>
> From the outside, the whole enterprise does look like possibly  
> falling into a heap of political/religious/theoretical debates, and  
> does make me feel that at time arguably restrictive policies of  
> what's on topic for these mailing lists in fact serve the community  
> very well in many ways.
>
> Anyway, just a little update on something that is without doubt  
> very relevant to the efforts of the uf community, and hopefully  
> many of the lessons hard learned over the last few years developing  
> ufs might benefit the HTML  WG efforts

The HTML Working Group (and the WHATWG, which is continuing to  
operate in parallel) would welcome participation from microformats  
experts and advocates.

Regards,
Maciej