>>>> * it has the *semantic* of being a year, which is a special type of >>>> number (potentially more than four digits if you subscribe to "Long >>>> Now"[1] methodology, or fewer than four as Andy noted). >>> >>> Why is it useful to declare this semantic to the browser? What functional >>> difference do you envision compared to a field that accepts an integer >>> (potentially with min and max values relevant to the site)? >> >> Future browser could offer a calendar tool to fill input fields that have a >> date semantic. While this would be appropriate, it would not be appropriate >> to offer a calendar tool for other integer data e.g. an input field that >> asks the user for his monthly income in USD. > > What kind of calendar tool is more efficient for entering a year (year only > without a month or day) than a UI that is optimized for entering an integer > (typically text field plus spinbox arrows that also respond to arrow keys and > input method defaulting to digits on phones and similar)? > > (Also "future browser could" is a bit weak unless someone writing code for a > browser indicates that he/she is actively implementing a given feature.)
"Future browser" issues aside, it's entirely plausible that a browser might allow me to drop events (from my calendar software, for example, or just something else semantically a 'date' on the web) onto a 'date'-identified input field, extracting the relevant pieces of information and filling as appropriate.
