Stephen,

While Harold is correct in saying that the TYPE attribute of the SCRIPT =
tag is required in HTML 4.0, that is obviously not the problem since =
Opera has demonstrated that it considers that attribute optional, since =
it correctly executed the inline scripts.  What you may have to consider =
is that Opera doesn't know how to execute external scripts via the SRC =
attribute, or that (for some bizarre reason) it requires TYPE for =
external and not for internal (in which case, you'd have to wonder if =
their object model is valid).  I've looked for any indication whether =
Opera is 4.0 compliant in this respect, but I have not found a claim one =
way or another.  Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance.

On the other hand, DO NOT change the url &'s to &'s...the W3 =
validator didn't even complain about them, because even if the 4.0 =
compliant browsers did manage to translate the & into & for the url, =
the older browsers will not.  In fact, the validator was just =
complaining about the fact that it doesn't know the variables in your =
program, which it really doesn't have to know about, so I don't know why =
W3 felt a need to complain in the first place.

If you have a choice between "valid" or "working," always choose =
"working."  Validation is a tool, not the be all and end all of writing =
for the web.  It's nice to know you're following the rules, but if the =
rules prevent your visitors from enjoying your site, break them.  We =
were talking about this before regarding a poorly chosen email address =
which had an "&" in it.  Now, while it is a valid email address, HTML =
4.0 apparently didn't like it.  Irrelevant...if the email address has an =
"&", you ignore the validator.  Personally, I'd ban "&" from the email =
standard because it can be used to assist with hacking into Unix =
servers, but that's a different matter altogether.  The point is...the =
validator is not who you're trying to please...please your visitors =
first, and you can't go wrong.

Brian A. Sayrs
Owner, Southwind Solutions


-----Original Message-----
From:	Harold A. Driscoll [SMTP:harold(at)driscoll.chi.il.us]
Sent:	Tuesday, March 28, 2000 8:57 AM
To:	SDJThorin
Cc:	hwg-techniques(at)hwg.org
Subject:	Re: Need Some Help From Opera Users!

At 09:05 28-03-00 , SDJThorin wrote:
>I got this from someone who was critiquing my site...
>
>> Hi Stephen,
>> This is a copy and paste of what I got when I=20
>> opened your page in Opera

>I was under the assumption that Opera handled pages=20
>better then both IE & NS and, if a page worked in both=20
>IE & NS it would work in Opera as well.

Rather, Opera handles correctly-written pages best, and often does not
second-guess broken HTML the same was as might other browsers. (Of =
course,
there is no reason any browser should be expected to handle broken HTML,
much less to do so in a particular way.)

Not being a fan of JavaScript (and one who considers disabling =
JavaScript a
basic part of safe computing, and one who strongly and frequently
recommends disabling JavaScript), I've minimal experience with the
JavaScript aspects of your page.

However, I'd suggest the fact that a validation of you page shows =
several
errors directly associated with the use of the SCRIPT element might =
merit
further investigation. (While you are at it, I'd also suggest fixing the
several misuses of the & character, replacing each with &).

	http://validator.w3.org/

Safe computing,  /Harold
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=
=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-
Harold A. Driscoll                 mailto:Harold(at)Driscoll.Chi.IL.US
#include <std/disclaimer>                 http://Driscoll.Chi.IL.US
=00

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