From : Tim Berners-Lee < : Tim Berners-Lee < timbl@w3.org



Message-Id : <5E4FDAC0-9B11-4823-9BC9-453F3836818D@w3.org>

Cc : Philippe Le Hegaret < : Philippe Le Hegaret < plh@w3.org >, Ralph Swick < swick@w3.org

To : HTML WG < : HTML WG < public-html@w3.org



Some in the community have raised questions recently about whether some work products of the HTML Working Group are within the scope of the Group's charter. Specifically in question were the HTML Canvas 2D API, and the HTML Microdata and HTML+RDFa Working Drafts. (A separate question, not to be confused, has been whether the work should be in the HTML5 document. In these three cases, I was happy to see the removal of the sections from the document, to make a more modular set of specifications. See also [1] for reasons for modularity in specifications. ) The work of the group has grown since it was chartered, and the charter document itself is no longer sufficiently explicit. (See recent W3C blog post on this topic [2]). This message clarifies what I consider to be within the scope of the group. I agree with the WG chairs that these items -- data and canvas -- are reasonable areas of work for the group. It is appropriate for the group to publish documents in this area. On the one hand, they elaborate areas touched on in HTML4. On the other, these elaborations are much deeper than the features of HTML4, but also they form separate subsystems, and these subsystems have strong overlaps with other design areas. It is important (a) that the design be modular; (b) that the specifications be kept modular and (c) that the communities of expertise of the respective fields (graphics and data) be involved in the design process. I am asking the domain lead to annotate the charter in place to make these points clearer to newcomers. I encourage the group to establish joint task forces to help ensure that the needs of the larger community are met. I appreciate the continued work of the group and co-Chairs to ensure constructive inter and intra-group communication, and to make the HTML Working Group a forum conducive to participation. [1] http://www.w3.org/QA/2008/01/modularity [2] http://www.w3.org/QA/2010/02/working_group_publication_requ Tim Berners-Lee Director, W3C