I've put some thoughts about Formatting Objects on the Web into
writing [1]. Here's the abstract:

  The W3C Working Group on XSL is currently producing two
  specifications: a transformation language (called "XTL" in this
  document) and a set of formatting objects written in XML (called
  "XFO" in this document). The idea is for XTL to transform XML data
  and documents into set of formatting objects which subsequently can
  be rendered. On the ladder of abstraction from presentation to
  semantics, XFO is at the level of presentational HTML elements. A Web
  of XFO documents can be compared to a Web of HTML documents with only
  FONT and BR tags. Although not intended to be used on the Web, it's
  unlikely that it can be prevented. XFO is therefore a threat to
  accessibility, device-independence and the dream of a semantic Web.
  The note ends with some suggestions on how to solve the problem.

[1] http://www.operasoftware.com/people/howcome/1999/foch.html

-h&kon

Håkon Wium Lie             http://www.operasoftware.com/people/howcome
howcome@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                      simply a better browser


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