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Bug 23049 - New definition of <cite> is unclear on representing titles of works
Summary: New definition of <cite> is unclear on representing titles of works
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: HTML WG
Classification: Unclassified
Component: HTML5 spec (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Hardware: PC Windows NT
: P2 normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: steve faulkner
QA Contact: HTML WG Bugzilla archive list
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2013-08-23 10:53 UTC by Josh Tumath
Modified: 2013-08-27 09:47 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

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Description Josh Tumath 2013-08-23 10:53:16 UTC
In the previous definition of the cite element, it was clear that its use was intended for representing titles of works. For example:

  <p>I like to watch <cite>Doctor Who</cite>, because...</p>

However, the definition of the element is now the following:

"The cite element represents reference information about the source of quoted text."

This makes it unclear whether the element can still be used as with the previous definition, where the element is used to show the title of something and does not have to be used near a quote.
Comment 1 heydon 2013-08-23 11:58:09 UTC
(In reply to comment #0)
> In the previous definition of the cite element, it was clear that its use
> was intended for representing titles of works. For example:
> 
>   <p>I like to watch <cite>Doctor Who</cite>, because...</p>
> 
> However, the definition of the element is now the following:
> 
> "The cite element represents reference information about the source of
> quoted text."
> 
> This makes it unclear whether the element can still be used as with the
> previous definition, where the element is used to show the title of
> something and does not have to be used near a quote.

My immediate reaction is that it should say "quoted content" not "quoted text". 

Perhaps even just "source of some content"...

Or are citations just for text and not images, illustrations etc?

Regarding the works/authors confusion, would the below be too clumsy?

"The cite element represents reference information and the source of some content, be it the author of that content or a work by an author"
Comment 2 steve faulkner 2013-08-27 09:22:22 UTC
(In reply to comment #0)
> In the previous definition of the cite element, it was clear that its use
> was intended for representing titles of works. For example:
> 
>   <p>I like to watch <cite>Doctor Who</cite>, because...</p>
> 
> However, the definition of the element is now the following:
> 
> "The cite element represents reference information about the source of
> quoted text."
> 
> This makes it unclear whether the element can still be used as with the
> previous definition, where the element is used to show the title of
> something and does not have to be used near a quote.

EDITOR'S RESPONSE: This is an Editor's Response to your comment. If you are
satisfied with this response, please change the state of this bug to CLOSED. If
you have additional information and would like the Editor to reconsider, please
reopen this bug. If you would like to escalate the issue to the full HTML
Working Group, please add the TrackerRequest keyword to this bug, and suggest
title and text for the Tracker Issue; or you may create a Tracker Issue
yourself, if you are able to do so. For more details, see this document:

   http://dev.w3.org/html5/decision-policy/decision-policy.html

Status: Accepted
Change Description: made it clearer and added example (doctor who) please review
http://www.w3.org/html/wg/drafts/html/master/text-level-semantics.html#the-cite-element
Rationale: agreed it was unclear and that the cite element should allow the use case.
Comment 3 Josh Tumath 2013-08-27 09:45:34 UTC
Thanks for changing it. The use of a note makes the definition much clearer.

Just a small typo: in the new example, you're missing a closing bracket:

<p>Who is your favorite doctor (in <cite>Doctor Who</cite>?</p>
<p>Who is your favorite doctor (in <cite>Doctor Who</cite>)?</p>
Comment 4 steve faulkner 2013-08-27 09:47:20 UTC
(In reply to comment #3)
> Thanks for changing it. The use of a note makes the definition much clearer.
> 
> Just a small typo: in the new example, you're missing a closing bracket:
> 
> <p>Who is your favorite doctor (in <cite>Doctor Who</cite>?</p>
> <p>Who is your favorite doctor (in <cite>Doctor Who</cite>)?</p>

thanks fixing!