> Absolutely it is. I'm rather surprised at how badly they handle DLs, but
almost zero percent of web developers use them even now (remember that
> standards-compliant designers represent perhaps 1% of the industry). Go
back just a few years and no one at all was using them.
 
> Is it not also the responsibility of designers to design for the user
agents that actually exist rather than utopian user agents that do not
exist?
> After all, the WCAG make several references to "Until user agents..."
which explicitly acknowledges that user agents don't yet have all the 
> functionality that users need. In fact they never will because
expectations will change over time.
 
> In another document that I can't currently find, the W3C state that it is
necessary for designers, user agent vendors and the standards themselves
> to all move together. There's no use one of these going off in their own
direction at their own pace. It's never going to be possible for all of
> them to be exactly in sync but that's what we need to aim for while making
progress in an agreed direction.
 
> I don't think that using headings in this example is cheating at all. It's
perfectly valid as other people have suggested.
 
IMHO, the markup you suggested would be valid *only* if this succession of
name/value pairs was *not* considered as a list. If it is a list, then the
only proper markup is a list (imho). 

> Remember that the purpose of semantics is to convey information
effectively. There is no point in using them if they do not achieve that
goal. 
> If you care about the users you will provide semantics that 'are' useful
to them, not semantics that 'should' be useful.
 
I think a DL is the element that would convey the information the more
effectively. And I guess that's why most of the posters who replied to the
OP before you did, told him to use a definition lists. Because for all these
posters it is the element they think would be the most semantic in regard to
that content; best proof (imho) that it should be the markup of choice. 

> Could you stand in front of your customer a justify your viewpoint to
them? I don't suppose they would be terribly impressed because they want 
> the best user experience for their customers. How can you intentionally
deny them that?

The same way I tell them we should not use table for layout to please people
using old browsers. To me, it makes absolutely no difference. I think there
should be no double standards when it comes to UAs. If you think it is
important to not really "follow the rules" by using headings/paragraphs
instead of a DL to give SR users a better experience then let's say "bravo"
to table markup used for layout when it is done to increase user experience!

-- 
Regards,
Thierry | http://www.TJKDesign.com






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