[wp-testers] Quote?

[rich boakes]

Owen Winkler wrote:
>
> If you have a true concern over which tags are used, you should not use 
> the WYSIWYG editor.  You should use the textarea and write out your own 
> tags as you desire.

My observation, on seeing this discussion 
unfold, is that the issue is not about how "we" 
markup "our" content; it's about the implied 
meaning that WordPress might impose on the 
creations of others.

> The WYSI editor is great for the majority of ordinary users who, in my 
> completely unresearched opinion, don't give a damn what we geeks mean 
> when we say "semantic markup".

The issue that Doug appears to be describing is 
_not_ about whether the user cares or not, it's 
just about the correct thing to do.

An example:

   Whilst my mum blogs happily away using the
   nice interface, she doesn't give a damn about
   markup (as Owen correctly guesses).  She does,
   however, want her entries to be enjoyed by her
   friends as effectively as possible.

   When I say "enjoyed" effectively, I'm not just
   talking about print.  My mum's friends are
   getting old and can't see so well, so they use
   page readers which can alter voice pitch and
   timbre when reading a quotation so that it's
   apparent that a change of perspective has
   occurred.

   Misuse of blockquote for formatting purposes
   renders such capabilities ineffective.

That, of course is just one example; what we 
don't know is how long the articles we write 
today will survive, and how they will be used in 
the future.

What I think we _can_ be sure of is that if 
WordPress can assist authors in encoding meaning 
(rather than formatting) into their content, 
then the lifespan, audience and value of that 
content can only be improved.

Rich
--
http://boakes.org