Specifically, the XSLT spec suggests that when using the HTML
output method, that the XSLT processor do some escaping of
*non-ASCII* characters in the href, src, codebase, or other
URI-type attribute value. The XSLT processor is not required
to do so -- in my opinion, it shouldn't bother, because it is
the author's responsibility to ensure that the value is a URI
reference, not an IRI.
The spec uses the word "should" throughout the section on serialization.
My interpretation is that this is because serialization is optional, not
because all the individual aspects of serialization are mere
suggestions.
I've also seen specs that try to define rather more clearly what they
mean by "should": specifically: "should do X" means "must do X unless
there is a good documented reason not to do so in the particular
circumstances". It certainly doesn't mean "could do X if you feel like
it".
Michael Kay
Software AG
home: Michael(_dot_)H(_dot_)Kay(_at_)ntlworld(_dot_)com
work: Michael(_dot_)Kay(_at_)softwareag(_dot_)com
XSL-List info and archive: http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list