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This sounds exactly like the complaints lodged against structured programming[1] by traditional GOTO-based programmers. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struct

• allendoerfer 13y ago
  Except, that the idea of semantic web is the traditional approach, whereas composable cross-browser classes controlled with LESS variables is the new and more pragmatic approach.
  • jey 13y ago
    Sounds like you're confusing Semantic HTML with Semantic Web. "Semantic" HTML is a style of writing HTML where the document exposes the meaningful structure and data in the document instead of the visual layout. The idea is that HTML is just a structured data representation, a la XML, and CSS is then used to transform it into a particular layout. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_HTML https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_HTML
    • allendoerfer 13y ago
      You are right, I meant to write "HTML". Nevertheless I question the usefulness of this approach. Semantic XML vs. pragmatic JSON tells a similar story. Semantic structures are never perfect, because they are not controlled by the recipient, but by the sender. I love the idea, but I think it will never come true. We will always have to mine the data ourselves. I can see the value of providing semantic markup for screen readers or for some Google SERP extension, but I do not see how semantic class names provide any value at all. Separation of concerns is a nice saying, but as other comments already mentioned, is just not possible to the full extend yet as CSS and browsers are to limited. I think we should acknowledge these shortcomings and real world circumstance, do our best to work around them, but in the end just move on and be productive.