Interesting note on HTML5 document outline

[Stomme poes]

In a recent interview on html5doctor by Bruce Lawson of new Doctor Steve Faulkner, someone asked why HTML5 document outline wasn't being implemented as expected.

Answer:

My understanding is that the outline algorithm as currently defined is not intended to be implemented in browsers. Meanwhile it has sort of been implemented by the JAWS screen reader, but in a borked way. It is a proposed feature that implementers in general have not shown an interest in. for this reason it is a feature at risk in the HTML5 CR specification and will likely be dropped before it becomes a Recommendation, it will probably live on in HTML 5.1 as a proposed feature and we will see how it goes.

http://html5doctor.com/interview-ste...or-new-doctor/

So the outline is at risk and developers should be wary of using it. Also ran across this tweet from Steve:
https://twitter.com/stevefaulkner/st...90155573776384

He mentions JAWS can/will announce each region and if you've got hundreds of them they get tedious :P

[ralph.m]

So it there any point in using new elements like <section> at all? I've still never used any of these structural elements. Just don't see the point. (O, portability? Puh ...)

[Stomme poes]

Sure. They are meant to have proper semantics where div and span still don't (and shouldn't). Roles are also natively associated with them.

It means now
- be conservative with sections and articles. Use them as large wrappers rather than wrapping every possible little sub-something in them-- consider using divs for that.

- don't choose outline-sectioning elements based on an expectation of making a document outline, since it's at-risk.

If you have a large chunk of content that really is an article, or a large page section, go ahead and use them if you want.