Re: should CSS, HTML, etc. documents bear version information? (XMLVersioning-41?)

Henry S. Thompson wrote:
> Net-net -- languages should provide a means for specifying version
> information, but conformant processors should be able to override such
> specifications if requested/directed by consumers.
>   
I am normally only a lurker on this list, but I want to express my 
strong agreement with this.  One of the things we struggle with in the 
(X)HTML Working Group is how to ensure that a document author (producer) 
can express clearly which XHTML Family markup language they used when 
they created their content.  This has "classification" ramifications 
(this is XHTML Basic, this is XHTML + MathML) and "versioning" 
ramifications (this is XHTML Basic 1.0, while *this* used XHTML Basic 
1.1).  Does it always matter from a validation perspective what the 
producer intended?  No.  Not *always*.  But it might matter.  Because it 
*might* matter, we must allow producers the opportunity to guide 
agents.  If an agent or an agent's user (consumer) chooses to ignore 
this advice... well, that's on them I guess.

-- 
Shane P. McCarron                          Phone: +1 763 786-8160 x120
Managing Director                            Fax: +1 763 786-8180
ApTest Minnesota                            Inet: shane@aptest.com

Received on Saturday, 31 March 2007 14:06:37 UTC