[myl]

I'll consider following that advice the day https://google.com obeys.

[spankalee]

This part of the guide does say it's option:

    Omit optional tags (optional).

And google.com used to do this, along with other ugly but valid byte-saving hacks, but as the page has gotten richer they've loosened up a bit.

[smoe]

I vaguely remember years ago google.com omitting tags to strip file size and there being some mild controversy around it. Pretty sure it was before HTML 5 adaption and don't think back then the tags where optional, just that browsers try to interpret whatever mess is thrown at them.

[yeahitslikethat]

Do as we say, not as we do. all the more reason not to trust them.

[gipp]

This is an internal style guide, not external recommendations, as the title would suggest. Comments like these are really making me wary of the level of groupthink on here.