HTML is the family name for the group of languages that form the lingua franca of the World Wide Web.
The XHTML2 Working Group is chartered to continue to evolve HTML into an XML-based markup language, modularize it to make it easier to combine with other markup languages, and correct the problems known still to exist in areas such as internationalization, accessibility, device independence and forms processing. The HTML Working Group is chartered to evolve traditional HTML. The Hypertext Coordination Group (HCG) is chartered to to address issues that may arise concerning several Working Groups in the Hypertext area. Participants in the HCG may also include liaison representatives of other standards bodies.
The HTML Working Group charter was reverted to its original state after the Director's approval of the HTML Activity. Originally, the deliverables on XHTML 1.x and HTML4 were in the HTML Working Group charter but were removed and placed in the XHTML2 Working Group charter, before Advisory Committee review, due to early feedback on the draft charter. However, the scope section never got to be updated to reflect that move and this got caught after the approval of the charter from the Director. The change was done in good faith and believed to be editorial. Clearly, the community felt it was not merely editorial since it changed the scope of the HTML Working Group. As a consequence of the revert, We now have two conflicting charters that both include work around XHTML, with different meanings associated to it.
Regarding the HTML Working Group, while challenges remain, the situation in the HTML Working improved since the technical plenary 2008 (see also HTML/tag Soup progress since TPAC 2008). Sam Ruby came on board as the new co-chair for the HTML Working Group, replacing Mike Smith, and has been working at a new process. The Group agreed on a set of use cases for a possible new license associated with the HTML5 specification, and W3C will propose a new license that addresses parts, if not all, of the cases. Mike presented his new document, HTML: The Markup Language, to the Working Group. So further discussions on the scope of the group, scope and role of the specification(s), the license associated to them are expected to continue.
Regarding the XHTML2 Working Group, there has been growing concerns about the differences with the HTML Working Group. The real issue is who should be in charge, at the W3C Group level, of defining what text/html and application/xhtml+xml are about, including what needs to be done with regards to the respective RFCs, and thus shaping the future of XHTML. It requires significant changes in the charters and W3C needs to entirely rethink its strategy with regards to XHTML2 and its position to HTML. It cannot simply continue with the current confusion. Moving away from XHTML2 has direct impact on technologies like XFrames, XHTML Modularization, XHTML Print, or XML Events. It also has indirect impacts on RDFa. More discussion and proposal(s) on this front is expected during the upcoming Advisory Committee meeting.
We can expect a reorganization of the Activity within the next 6 months. Discussions about rebranding the work around XHTML2, or even stopping the work, will be on our agenda.
The situation in the HTML Working Group will continue to be monitored and we have a full confidence in the co-chair abilities to continue to build support and consensus around the HTML 5 specification.
| Group | Chair | Team Contact | Charter |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTML Working Group (participants) | Chris Wilson, Sam Ruby | Michael(tm) Smith | Chartered until 31 December 2010 |
| Hypertext Coordination Group (participants) | Chris Lilley, Deborah Dahl | Chris Lilley | Chartered until 31 October 2009 |
| XHTML2 Working Group (participants) | Steven Pemberton, Roland Merrick | Steven Pemberton | Chartered until 31 December 2009 |
This Activity Statement was prepared for the October 2008 W3C Advisory Committee Meeting (Members only) per section 5 of the W3C Process Document. Generated from group data.
Steven Pemberton, HTML Activity LeadLast updated: 2008-10-16
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