Re: Text alignment with floating text

Hi John:

You wrote:

>I've read a lot about HTML 4 and the W3C's vision for separating document
>structure from presentation. If your sites deal mainly with information,
>as
>mine do, then all the high-end DHTML bells and whistles don't seem all
>that
>attractive. If any techniques you use put up roadblocks to some people's
>access, then they have to be carefully considered. Tables can do just this,
>when they are used only for presentation, instead of for data.

Agreed - although I'm not entirely sure why you can't use tables for straight 
data.....

You also wrote:

>At some point, we will be able to develop style sheets for a number of
>devices and have those devices use the one most appropriate for their
>needs. For instance, one style sheet for a computer monitor, one for a
>PDA,
>and one for a printer. All using the same exact HTML code (not writing
>three different versions).

I understand what you're saying - although I would assume that there is
a scripting option that would redirect users by first detecting the browser
and device, and then loading the appropriate page.  That, of course doesn't 
approach the issue of "common code" - but I wonder if that's possible with 
the varieties of browsers and platforms.  

You wrote:

>The chief problem here is where an older screen reader reads across a line
>(which is displayed using two table cells). Instead of reading the contents
>of cell 1, then moving on and reading the contents of cell 2, some of these
>readers actually read line 1 of cell 1, line 1 of cell 2, line 2 of cell
>1,
>line 2 of cell 2, etc., which throws the text out of its natural order.

That seems to me to be a design issue - a need for a way to "trap" the eye 
within 
the cell and keep the reader there until it's time to move to the next cell.  
Here, tables
might actually help - unless I'm not completely understanding the objection.

Just some thoughts from this student....

- Jeff Kopito

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