twitter/bootstrap — Issue #1937: help-block and help-inline
Author: dyve
Created: 2012-02-13 06:17:25+00:00
State: open

1. If you use a block element (e.g. DIV) with class help-inline, it becomes an inline element. Since the class name contains *inline*, this is expected behavior.
2. If you use a block element (e.g. DIV) with class help-block, it becomes/stays a block element. Since the class name contains *block*, this is expected behavior.
3. If you use an inline element (e.g. SPAN) with class help-inline, it becomes/stays an inline element. Since the class name contains *inline*, this is expected behavior.
2. If you use an inline element (e.g. SPAN) with class help-block, it **stays an inline element** element. Since the class name contains *block*, this is **unexpected** behavior.

Example: http://jsfiddle.net/mBrZG/1/

Please also look at https://github.com/twitter/bootstrap/issues/1249 where this was perhaps reported earlier and labeled nofix. I think you may want to look at this again because help-inline and help-block have different effects on elements where you would expect them to act the same.

Also, Bootstrap has no problems switching element's block style based on classes (and I agree with that), and this should also be the case here.

I propose this fixe:
* help-inline makes the element inline
* help-block makes the element block