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RE: XHTML survival rate?

• To: xml-dev@l...
• Subject: RE: XHTML survival rate?
• From: Doug Ransom <Doug.Ransom@p...>
• Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2002 16:48:19 -0700

I think there are specific pockets where XHTML may catch on.  The WAP forum
as decided to drop WML and proceed instead wtih XHTML.  Pages designed to
work on microbrowsers and embedded browsers will likely be xhtml.

I suspect search engines are likely to favor compliant html more than
uncompliant html.

Some companies that deliver products where HTML might be mined for embedded
xml content are likely to use XHTML so they can use a single DOM.  So,
adoption of XHTML by authors will likely be based on their application.  

Most HTML tools generate bad HTML with embedded font tags splathered
throught documents (as opposed to CSS); until widely used products like
front page start emitting XHTML, we are going to see XML limited to those
concerned with accessability or embeddability or long term survivability of
their pages.

One problem I have had is with geocities free web page service using XHTML
as the file format. They add some tags to the HTML in a non HTML/XHTML
compatible manner rather than inserting the tags for the adds in a good
spot.  Browsers annunicate errors when they try and render the page, because
the XHTML namespace is referenced but the document is not valid.  

I find it somewhat ironic that Microsoft (who in my opinion is the prime
mover for the success of XML) funds the W3C usability, provides some of the
best XML tools going (like their DOM, .net APIs, XSLT implementations, and
web browsers), is a superb XML company have products that produce bad and
non accessible HTML and don't produce XHTML at all.  For example, outlook,
outlook express, and front page use font tags and SGML rather than XML.
http://www.msdn.microsoft.com today has a mix of upper and lowercase HTML
tags and inline styles and CSS.  When Microsoft decides XHTML is worth
pursuing, I think it will show up everywhere. That probably won't happen
until they have an accessability initiative.
 


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jens Jakob Andersen, PDI [mailto:jens.jakob.andersen@p...]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 12:42 PM
> To: xml-dev@l...
> Subject:  XHTML survival rate?
> 
> 
> Hi
> 
> I am wondering (writing on a seminar) whether XHTML will take 
> off, or it will stay the IPv6 of the web?
> 
> I can see that with the billions of HTML pages out there, 
> where will the usage of XHTML come from, and why should 
> anyone go that way?
> 
> I am very open for inputs on XHTML survivability / usability 
> in a HTML dominated world.
> 
> Happy *ML'ing
> 
> 
> Jens Jakob
> 
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