Proposed Web site redesign (beta)

[Brian Densmore]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steven Hildreth
> 
> Is w3/wia and w3/HTML compliance a requirement of the replacement
> offering? Never was mentioned to me when I offered to create a new
> modern, dynamic replacement site.
> 
> No CMS stock package I have found (I have tested several for a
> previous project including; PhpNuke, PostNuke, Slashcode, eGroupare,
> Mambo, and XOOPS) generates either w3/wia or w3/HTML compliant code.
> 
> My position is that if it renders well in Mozilla, Firefox, Konqueror
> and IE that is ensuring a wide enough target audience. Sure the Links
> guys will get pissed, but realistically I think we should ensure
> operability with the 99% audience - not degrade the overall visual
> impression for all to appease the 1%
> 
> Other opinions?
Am I understanding this correctly, does Links not support displaying
tables? If this is the case then I say the authors of Links are the ones
that need to worry about compliance. That said, I do believe that the
tables should be free of stylesheets and whatnot. As an example, take my
website. I use stylesheets and stuff (although I do have some troubleshooting
to do with IE) and the content is dynamically created. I use tables and 
my website displays quite nicely <pat on the back> in Lynx (IMHO). It really
comes down to separating advanced functionality from global functionality.

Nearly all useable websites use tables. Any browser that doesn't should
be discarded for something more web friendly.

All that said, I do feel that any kclug site should display
well in a non-graphical browser. It think it would be worth testing
the website in Lynx to make sure it displays decently, but I certainly
would make that a requirement. I do sometimes use Lynx, like from firewall
boxes and other boxes with no X. So the site should at least work in text
mode. besides it's just good design to separate the gui from the data and 
all CMS worth their weight would support that approach.

Also w3/wia doesn't say don't use tables for layout, but not to use tables for 
layout if it would be confusing and bad ways (paraphrasing).

$0.02,
Brian D.