[dtagames]

I think this is a good change. Even repeating some elements is an example of looping, a Turing behavior that should be left to JS. We're way past the point where some predefined markup can accommodate most sites. Even "brochureware" sites can be built and maintained easier with programmatic code rather than static definitions of page layouts and content.

I think the "purity" of HTML as a web language is a myth. HTML is an application of SGML, just like XML. It was designed to describe documents, not programs. Most people today would benefit from building a web application rather than a document.

[edwr]

I think you're right. It's a good change for people who want to build web applications. Maybe that's the right thing for future development ease. I feel it's a shame though, the de-emphasis of web documents leads to more content being centralized on large platforms like Facebook, Medium, etc. People at the small scale don't benefit as much from programmability. It leads to a less open and inclusive web.

[dtagames]

Also true! The overhead of a custom site is now way more than it used to be and that limits adoption.