I'm trying my best to explain to someone the importance of web standards and how they should stop using tags like <font> etc.. in favour of using CSS. I feel that my arguments are falling on deaf ears!<br />
<br />
The main one seems to be, 'I know how to use the html tags for font, font colour, font face etc... why change it?'<br />
<br />
My point is that CSS provides cleaner, tidier code, better for standards and that <font> tags are deprecated. His point, browsers will continue to support these fonts whether or not people update their code.<br />
<br />
Can anyone help me get my point across..with additional reasons why he must learn CSS.<br />
<br />
Thanks in advance for any further fuel to add to the fire!!<!--content-->Basically ask them, "Would you rather write 400 lines of code or just 2?" Using CSS classes can shorten your coding and Download <!--more--> time." Also, "Say your client wants to change the font on the entire website from Arial to Verdana. That's a lot of leg-work to edit all of those files. With CSS, all you need is one file."<!--content-->Ask them if they would like to use <font> and <table> for <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.xhtmlcoder.com/beck/">http://www.xhtmlcoder.com/beck/</a><!-- m --> there are 192 pages there; yes the layout is simple but at the flick of a finger or two I can change the whole layout and colour.<br />
<br />
Furthermore using <font> and <table> for layout is an accessibility issue since you are placing hurdles in front of the user let alone the bloat and bandwidth wastage.<br />
<br />
A Validating XML Processor for those pages would not accept <font> or nested <table> and that is clearly seen if you use the W3C Validation service.<!--content-->His point with regards to validation is .....why bother!<br />
<br />
His opinion veers towards pleasing the majority, IE users and ignoring accessibility as he only writes a small site. <br />
<br />
Is it likely that ultimately browsers won't support deprecated tags....I thought it was unlikely due to the amount of redesign that would be required throughout the web.<br />
<br />
Thank you for both your points, I suspect I'll still not convince him....but will keep on trying!<!--content-->Would you like to give me the site address in question since under the Disability and Discriminations Act (DDA) UK he might be obliged to consider accessibility if the site is live. <br />
<br />
Believe me, I have influence and contacts in very high places regarding web accessibility at the moment.<!--content-->It's a site in the U.S. he sets it up temporarily to arrange meetings/post photographs of previous meetings of a group he's in....as I type this it sounds really dodgy, but it's really only for a local bike group and I've been encouraging him to learn CSS....he's very reluctant! He's also a pensioner, so I wouldn't be keen to see him 'done'....I just want to help him do a better job of what he does at the moment!<br />
<br />
Thanks for your comments, I'm just about to email him....with fixes on the CSS that he's attempted and I'll make all your points to him. I think he basically sees it as more hassle than it's worth...but I will convert him, Oh yes!<!--content-->http://www.csszengarden.com/<br />
<br />
The site that probably gets linked here at least once a day. If the coolness factor hasn't kicked in, let me explain why it's cool. All of the designs use the exact same (X)HTML file. The only difference is background images and the external CSS file. If they don't want that kind of flexibility, then they are going to be beating their heads against the wall a lot. A web designer who uses things like <font> tags is either ignorant about web design, or likes screwing themselves over.<!--content-->Originally posted by spufi <br />
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.csszengarden.com/">http://www.csszengarden.com/</a><!-- m --><br />
<br />
The site that probably gets linked here at least once a day. If the coolness factor hasn't kicked in, let me explain why it's cool. All of the designs use the exact same (X)HTML file. The only difference is background images and the external CSS file. If they don't want that kind of flexibility, then they are going to be beating their heads against the wall a lot. A web designer who uses things like <font> tags is either ignorant about web design, or likes screwing themselves over. or both.<!--content-->Originally appeared in Garth Morenghi's Dark Place<br />
Or all three.
<!--content-->
<br />
The main one seems to be, 'I know how to use the html tags for font, font colour, font face etc... why change it?'<br />
<br />
My point is that CSS provides cleaner, tidier code, better for standards and that <font> tags are deprecated. His point, browsers will continue to support these fonts whether or not people update their code.<br />
<br />
Can anyone help me get my point across..with additional reasons why he must learn CSS.<br />
<br />
Thanks in advance for any further fuel to add to the fire!!<!--content-->Basically ask them, "Would you rather write 400 lines of code or just 2?" Using CSS classes can shorten your coding and Download <!--more--> time." Also, "Say your client wants to change the font on the entire website from Arial to Verdana. That's a lot of leg-work to edit all of those files. With CSS, all you need is one file."<!--content-->Ask them if they would like to use <font> and <table> for <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.xhtmlcoder.com/beck/">http://www.xhtmlcoder.com/beck/</a><!-- m --> there are 192 pages there; yes the layout is simple but at the flick of a finger or two I can change the whole layout and colour.<br />
<br />
Furthermore using <font> and <table> for layout is an accessibility issue since you are placing hurdles in front of the user let alone the bloat and bandwidth wastage.<br />
<br />
A Validating XML Processor for those pages would not accept <font> or nested <table> and that is clearly seen if you use the W3C Validation service.<!--content-->His point with regards to validation is .....why bother!<br />
<br />
His opinion veers towards pleasing the majority, IE users and ignoring accessibility as he only writes a small site. <br />
<br />
Is it likely that ultimately browsers won't support deprecated tags....I thought it was unlikely due to the amount of redesign that would be required throughout the web.<br />
<br />
Thank you for both your points, I suspect I'll still not convince him....but will keep on trying!<!--content-->Would you like to give me the site address in question since under the Disability and Discriminations Act (DDA) UK he might be obliged to consider accessibility if the site is live. <br />
<br />
Believe me, I have influence and contacts in very high places regarding web accessibility at the moment.<!--content-->It's a site in the U.S. he sets it up temporarily to arrange meetings/post photographs of previous meetings of a group he's in....as I type this it sounds really dodgy, but it's really only for a local bike group and I've been encouraging him to learn CSS....he's very reluctant! He's also a pensioner, so I wouldn't be keen to see him 'done'....I just want to help him do a better job of what he does at the moment!<br />
<br />
Thanks for your comments, I'm just about to email him....with fixes on the CSS that he's attempted and I'll make all your points to him. I think he basically sees it as more hassle than it's worth...but I will convert him, Oh yes!<!--content-->http://www.csszengarden.com/<br />
<br />
The site that probably gets linked here at least once a day. If the coolness factor hasn't kicked in, let me explain why it's cool. All of the designs use the exact same (X)HTML file. The only difference is background images and the external CSS file. If they don't want that kind of flexibility, then they are going to be beating their heads against the wall a lot. A web designer who uses things like <font> tags is either ignorant about web design, or likes screwing themselves over.<!--content-->Originally posted by spufi <br />
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.csszengarden.com/">http://www.csszengarden.com/</a><!-- m --><br />
<br />
The site that probably gets linked here at least once a day. If the coolness factor hasn't kicked in, let me explain why it's cool. All of the designs use the exact same (X)HTML file. The only difference is background images and the external CSS file. If they don't want that kind of flexibility, then they are going to be beating their heads against the wall a lot. A web designer who uses things like <font> tags is either ignorant about web design, or likes screwing themselves over. or both.<!--content-->Originally appeared in Garth Morenghi's Dark Place<br />
Or all three.
<!--content-->