diff --git a/content/notes/legacy-emphasis-in-html.md b/content/notes/legacy-emphasis-in-html.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..47bfbc2 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/notes/legacy-emphasis-in-html.md @@ -0,0 +1,15 @@ +--- +title: "Legacy emphasis in HTML" +date: 2023-01-11T14:44:50-08:00 +replyURI: "https://octodon.social/@jalefkowit/109672348277053943" +replyTitle: "who decided it would be a good idea to teach beginning web developers that <B> is the “Bring Attention To” tag and <I> is the “Idiomatic Text” tag" +replyType: "SocialMediaPosting" +replyAuthor: "Jason Lefkowitz" +replyAuthorURI: "https://jasonlefkowitz.net/" +--- +Going forward, the [CSS Speech Module](https://www.w3.org/TR/css3-speech/) seems like a better place for auditory tonal indicators. The CSS we've already had for years should be a better place for visual presentation. + +This leaves only a minuscule semantic difference between `` and ``, or `` and ``, as outlined in the HTML Living Standard. I don't think that difference warrants extra elements in the HTML standard: the extra elements likely create more confusion than actual benefit. Over the past decade, I'm unaware of any user-agents treating them differently enough, in a way that aligns with author intent, to matter. + +I personally just avoid `` and `` when authoring. The complexity is more trouble than it's worth. +