ChangeProposals/Reference a W3C version of DOM Parsing and Serialization

Change Proposal

Summary

The innerHTML, outerHTML, and insertAdjacentHTML APIs were previously defined in the HTML5 specification. Currently these APIs are defined in the DOM Parsing and Serialization specification outside of the W3C. This proposal entails publishing the DOM Parsing and Serialization specification within the HTML WG and updating the HTML5 specification to normatively reference this new version.

Rationale

By moving the definition of innerHTML, outerHTML, and insertAdjacentHTML outside of the W3C, the W3C patent policy no longer applies to these APIs. Creating a version of the DOM Parsing and Serialization specification in the HTML WG restores the application of the W3C patent policy to these APIs while minimizing the editorial churn that would otherwise be associated with integrating these APIs back into the HTML5 specification.

Details

Publish DOM Parsing and Serialization as currently defined at http://html5.org/specs/dom-parsing.html in the HTML WG. Then update the current DOM Parsing and Serialization reference in HTML5 to point to the new spec.

Microsoft volunteers to provide an editor for this specification in the HTML WG. Of course, the chairs own the ultimate decision of who to appoint to edit documents in the working group (see http://www.w3.org/2005/10/Process-20051014/tr.html#DocumentsGeneral). The chairs may choose someone else if they have other volunteers.

References

[DOMPARSING]
DOM Parsing and Serialization, Ms2ger. html5.org.
DOM Parsing and Serialization, Ms2ger. W3C.

Impact

Positive Effects

The W3C patent policy continues to apply to innerHTML, outerHTML, and insertAdjacentHTML. Other de-facto APIs such as DOMParser also get standardized in the W3C.

Negative Effects

None identified

Conformance Classes Changes

None identified

Risks

If a copy of DOMParsing and Serialization continues to be maintained outside of the W3C, the two may get out of sync.