Nils Dagsson Moskopp wrote:
The small element represents small print [...]
The b element represents a span of text to be stylistically offset from
the normal prose without conveying any extra importance [...]
Both definitions seems rather presentational (contrasting, for example,
the new semantic definition for the <i> element) and could also be
realized by use of <span> elements.
To me these look like the last remnants of the <font> element. So why
are these elements retained ?
This issue has been discussed in depth in the past; most significantly
on public-html around May 2007.
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-html/2007May/thread.html#msg3
(I think most of the releant discussion is in the "Cleaning House" thread)
I have added an entry to the FAQ detailing the rationale for including
these elements, and have previously written an article about the issue too.
http://wiki.whatwg.org/wiki/FAQ#Why_are_some_presentational_elements_like_.3Cb.3E.2C_.3Ci.3E_and_.3Csmall.3E_still_included.3F
http://lachy.id.au/log/2007/05/b-and-i
http://lists.whatwg.org/pipermail/whatwg-whatwg.org/2007-January/009060.html
--
Lachlan Hunt - Opera Software
http://lachy.id.au/
http://www.opera.com/
