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Posted by Len Philpot on 12/31/05 01:02
In article <dp3vn4013oa@news2.newsguy.com>, nospam@nohow.not says...
> Anotheris the notion that tables are evil, and that one
> should stick to "pure" CSS to fashion pages. Admittedly I'm
> on the rising side of the learning curve, but in trying to
Same here, hence my questions. I don't see any reason to completely rule
out tables, just use them appropriately. If the data is tabular in
nature, then table it. If not and your design ends can be achieved with
styles, then style it. Typically, it might be both.
Little as I know, I've already reaped some "stylesheet rewards" when I
decided to make revisions after the fact. The biggest shift is simply
learning the interactions and techniques required to best achieve design
goals. Kind of like programming - Learning the grammar and vocabulary is
one thing, learning to program is another.
> fundamental header/sidebar/footer structure. Finally I threw
> in the towel and went with the simplest--tables--for the
> structural backbone, and use CSS for the design elements
> within those sections.
I'd surmise you've achieved 90% of what could realistically be done with
pure stylesheets with that approach, as long as you keep the "non-
skeletal" stylings in the CSS. I don't see how content and presentation
can be _completely_ and 100% divorced, anyway. One influences and
directs the other. It's an admirable goal, but I don't see it happening
100%. In my previous career (graphic design), I would have laughed at
anyone who told me to design a brochure (e.g.), but wouldn't provide any
details about what it was or whom it was for, saying rather, "Once
you're done, we'll just plug in the content." :-)
Now, creating an environment that's extensible, flexible and
accomodating to skinning, updating, etc., well that's another matter
entirely. Stylesheets and other more dynamic tools offer LOTS for that.
> Agreed on the large qualitative difference between web pages
> and desktop apps. That gap should have been bridged by Java
....and I'll admit that some of my approach is strongly influenced by my
"roots" in MS-DOS and administering Unix every day for the past six
years. I've come to appreciate the advantages of "a tool learned" as
opposed to "just click here and _everything_ will be all right...". :-)
--
-- Len Philpot -> len@philpot.org <--
------ ><> -----> http://philpot.org/ <--
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