no tables. why?
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- vilca
can you tell me why it's not recommended to use tables anymore to build websites? I don't know CSS, and I don't really have the time to learn it now. Is there a browser problem is your website has tables? or in general, what's the problem with it?
your thoughts and experience is much appreciated. thx!
- weestu0
here's some articles that might help explain the benefits of accessible/standards-based css sites:
http://www.maxdesign.com.au/pres…
http://www.sitepoint.com/article…
http://adactio.com/articles/disp…
http://www.sessions.edu/newslett…
http://www.hotdesign.com/seybold…
- jamble0
Plenty of reading.
- rafalski0
There are two explanations.
The one you'll hear the most is that tables are meant for tabular data only, your code should be semantic and screen readers might get your site wrong, etc..
The other one (the real one to me) is, everyone expects you not to use tables nowadays, ie. your employer might say you don't know your trade if you still are using tables (or someone might point it out to him first, which he won't like).
Actually, you can write semantic code using tables and screen readers will read it.
IMO, using tables for layout together with CSS methods gives you much more flexibility than pure CSS, as current CSS has some limitations compared to good'ol table layout capabilities.
- vilca0
thanks for that. it makes sense. he thing is I'm working on a site and designed thhe layout with tables, but used CSS for the text settings.
Is that bad? or is it acceptable?
- imakedesign0
if you earn a living from web design than i think you should update your skills. make time.
- vilca0
thanks rafalski. that's what I thought (see my prev post). CSS is great for text attributes and very similar to paragraph styles on InDesign (i'm a graphic designer, not web). so a combination of the two seems to be a good option.
nice one.
- rafalski0
if you earn a living from web design than i think you should update your skills. make time.
imakedesign
--
Exactly.BTW, just that I'm bitching about CSS layouts not really being superior to table ones, doesn't mean I advocate table layouts.
I'm all for CSS, and just hope it will get table flexibility with time.
- rafalski0
so a combination of the two seems to be a good option.
vilca
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Hybrid layout, as Zeldman calls it. That is a natural transition, you're right on track there.
- trooperbill0
just because. live with it. dont question the fact.. trust me. its easy (yes there are x-browser issues, just like with tables!)
dont question my authoratagh!
- vilca0
I like constructive comments.
- Nac_part20
Bush hate midgets, and tables
- pocho0
Brilliant. This post answers more questions than alll the other table/CSS post of the last four months combined.
More responses please!
- jakeyj0
good thread going here.
aside from the points already mentioned, one of the main reasons I use CSS over tables is for text-resizing. Typically a layout breaks horribly on a table-based site when the text is sized up. Especially when you have a complex layout.
And it also keeps my code squeeky clean, so that when developers need to work on my code, they don't have to wade through style markup in my code. They just see the content.
- version30
you should quit then
- kelpie0
in 6 months if they want a new site layout, you can give em it, easy.