Whether CC's page validates or not doesn't really have anything to do with how well the HTML Editor works. Non validation is user error for the most part.

Jo Ann,
"Whether CC's page validates or not doesn't really have anything to do with how well the HTML Editor works"

That's true it really doesn't. But from a marketing viewpoint it is a bit ironic that the sales page of a really very excellent editor does not validate.

My whole point, to state the obvious, except for the pure purists, to keep from going crazy you need a point of "good enough" if the site actually does render your message, tho under the hood maybe only 95 percent pure standard.

An aside: I love the Editor having started using it when the first one was made available to the public before the start of time.

An aside2:
a. HTML Editor sales page (yesterday) W3 validation: 7 errors, 3 warnings
b. Google home page (today) W3 validation: 23 errors, 4 warnings

Well there is one really good reason why those elements are still there, not sure if it's the "real" reason though lol. Do keep in mind that Email code is still using all the old code setups, so many email servers still read inline CSS and old font styles and such so these things do need to be available in the editor. Keeping that in mind, I actually would like to see them add a separate little area of Email codes and take it out of the mainstream toolbar.

Having it on the menu, though, doesn't mean you have to use it, it's just there if you need to, keeping it handy at your fingertips for the most part. The HTML Editor doesn't cater to making sure you know what you are doing, that's your department (well not you personally, but the user in general) and therefore doesn't have everything organized according to complexity of use or whatever. Most likely some of these things were just not messed with when they updated to the HTML5 and CSS3 compatibility, but either way, it is actually your responsibility to know if those items should be used or not. The Editor just gives you the ability to use them, not to know if it's usable. In email cases it's a necessary thing, and lots of people create their email campaigns in the Editor before they send them out with whatever service they are using, so having those particular settings available is a good thing for that.

In the end it really does come down to the user needing to know when to use what setting.