Comments for hgroups and sub-titles
http://feedmechocolate.com/stuff/headings.html
while still keeping a sensible outline:
http://gsnedders.html5.org/outliner/process.py?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedmechocolate.com%2Fstuff%2Fheadings.html
I'm undecided as to whether encouraging that kind of thing is a good idea.
"The contents of the h2 is considered a special non-sectioning-heading case, but it’s still in a heading element. But if it’s meant to be a heading, why isn’t it in the h1? Gah!"
I think of the hgroup element itself as the actual heading element. It's just like normal heading (h1-h6), except that instead of just containing a piece of text, it has some internal outline-like structure.
When you have at the top level in a document, the h1 and h2 elements are no longer headings in that document. The entire hgroup element is the heading. For outlining purposes, the hgroup 'picks' the highest heading it contains as a summary of itself, and folds away the rest of its detail.
Again: it's a heavy syntax, but it does at least seem to make sense to me with the way I think about headings.
strapline'. I think I actually prefer 'subheading'. sh? Whatever the OED would call it.
If an element is to be created -- like hgroup -- it makes a ton of sense for it to be one that leverages and adds value to existing elements, rather than simply standing on its own.
Frances makes a great point about the semantic flaws in grouping heading elements. But I see an easier path for browser makers and designers in interpreting headings within an hgroup than the path to uniquely interpreting an entirely new standalone element.
I completely agree. And my suggestion for the name of the element would be something like subh.