[thelist] semantic markup

Diane Soini dianesoini at earthlink.net
Thu May 27 09:32:04 CDT 2004


On Thursday, May 27, 2004, at 04:06 AM, thelist-request at lists.evolt.org 
wrote:
>
> I don't see it that way. I try to make a list of the available options.
> I don't intend it to be rendered horizontal, vertical, diagonal or read
> aloud. I may *suggest* an option, but i'm happy and delighted every UA
> can ignore my suggestion and do it's own take (except when it's IE and
> its screwed up take, of course ;)
>
> Relax and let the UA rule!
>

It's not so much how I want it to be rendered as it is that <li> is 
supposed to be somehow "more correct" than whatever else, as if all 
lists have to be built as bullet lists. What I mean is, the <ul> or 
<ol> is a type of list, and it's somehow considered properly semantic 
to use them to create user interface controls. That doesn't seem 
semantic to me at all. If anything, the <button> tag seems more proper.

It was just a thought, however, because sometimes folks in this 
profession can be quite dogmatic about semantic markup, even though I'm 
not convinced that how they think some things should be done is truly 
what semantic means.

The image with a caption question was the one that got me thinking. 
First of all, why isn't there a semantic tag for that? After all, prose 
documents in printed form use that construct all the time. Figures, 
diagrams, etc. In this situation, you really have to do it 
non-sematically. But nobody should feel that their method to accomplish 
this isn't proper. The tool is incomplete.
>
> (*) I'm not sure if 'diagonal' is an english word for this position
>
>                 \
>
> Is 'oblique' better?
>

I guess I'm a bit oblique as well. I just happened to be thinking about 
this, that's all.

Thanks!
Diane



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