ACTION-2782: Write a whitepaper on versioning, future proofing, backward compatability and SVG 2.0

Write a whitepaper on versioning, future proofing, backward compatability and SVG 2.0

State:
pending review
Person:
Patrick Dengler
Due on:
May 17, 2010
Created on:
May 10, 2010
Associated Product:
SVG 2
Related emails:
  1. Minutes, 10 may 2010 SVG telcon (from chris@w3.org on 2010-05-10)
  2. SVG WG Telecon Meeting Notes 5/10/2010 (from patd@microsoft.com on 2010-05-10)

Related notes:

I am closing this issue. I have come to the conclusion that we are going to need to evaluate these on an as needed basis. As I noted in my TPAC paper (http://www.w3.org/2010/11/TPAC/HTMLnext.pdf)

BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY
It seems inevitable that because at least one of these specifications, SVG, has not changed significantly for over a decade, this process of stabilization will create backward incompatibles. The desire and goal should be that breakages be minimal, or optimally, none.
High Level Use Case / Scenario: As Web developers begin to adopt new or converging technologies, there should be as few as possible inconsistencies ported forward. This will lower the barrier to understanding, development, debugging, and adoption.
Proposal : Do not sacrifice well established Web development processes for backward compatibility if there is a belief that the tolerance for adopting a different practice by developers is very low; features that should absorb breakages are those that have much less presence on the Internet as well as the intranet.
Always be mindful of backward compatibility, but not lead with the statement that it is an absolute. This should be paired with a single design model that eliminates incompatibilities in the future.

Patrick Dengler, 17 Nov 2010, 21:43:22

Display change log.


Dirk Schulze <dschulze@adobe.com>, Chair, Chris Lilley <chris@w3.org>, Staff Contact
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