> code and blockcode should be removed with samp, kbd and var. Is there
> anyone on this list that can argument for their existence?

I'd more or less agree about code and blockcode, with the caveat that
that prevents the use of pure XHTML to document the XHTML language.
That may well be a strong enough reason for keeping them.

samp, kbd and var are relevant for nearly any instruction document
for a man machine interface, including a web site's HCI, so I would
consider them a requirement for most web sites and a large number
of consumer documents on web sites.