Re: Validation

At 11:20 AM 2/2/01 -0500, Michael Lessar wrote:
>What benefit will I gain if I validate to XHTML vs HTML.

Michael,

Such a short question, but a whole can'o worms answers this will generate. 
So, before the good Cap'n can jump on his soap box for HTML 3.2, I'm going 
to preach XHTML

8-)

I don't think you will see many /immediate/ benefits from XHTML, primarily 
it will put you in good shape for things to come. The web is not a static 
environment, and as new methods of accessing information become more 
readily available, XHTML will put you closer to taking advantage of those 
new technologies. I understand there's a lot more being done with XHTML on 
corporate intranets, but that's just what I've heard.

XHTML is HTML, but the X stands for eXtensible -- I sincerely believe that 
X means I will one day write /one/ pretty page and then be able to deliver 
that page to printers, hand-helds, desktops, televisions, and maybe even my 
refrigerator (eeek, the magnets must go!).

XHTML also includes some handy little conventions that you may as well get 
used to doing -- close /all/ tags, use lower-case (why lower instead of 
upper? I don't know, but it is nice to choose one way all the time), and 
make sure they are properly nested -- now there's something Fuzzy would 
agree with -- are some good habits whether you validate to 3.2, 4.0, 4.01 
or XHTML 1.0.

The W3C not only has recommendations for XHTML, but they are already 
extending it -- XHTML Basic for example.

IMO, a huge drawback for XHTML is its reliance on Style Sheets -- certain 
things like FONT FACE are gone. That means some early browser versions will 
/not/ display your pages with all the pretty, defined styles in your style 
sheets, but they *should* display.

But in reality -- who do you want to *read* your pages? If you are dealing 
with an environment that simply will not upgrade its browser to v.4 or 
better, then XHTML is pointless. If you are in a commercial environment 
that will most likely expand it's web site, then XHTML would be my choice.

O.k., Cap'n -- your turn ...

;-)

Tamara

HTML: hwg-basics mailing list archives, maintained by Webmasters @ IWA