Style Sheets

[Andrew J. Mutch]

A couple of questions...

I have been trying to implement the use of style sheets as the specs. for
HTML 4.0 indicate that many of the current formatting elements under HTML
3.2 may not be available under future versions of HTML.

1) Style Sheets seem to work well for those formatting elements like
background, fonts, margins, etc. that are consistent from page to page and
allow for standardization and easy administration of web pages.  However,
for individual elements, am I the only one that thinks Style Sheets seems
to be more work than its worth?  I can't imagine trying to identify all
the potential style elements among a group of pages, creating an
identification system for them and then writing the code to implement the
style.  Can someone enlighten me as to benefit or thinking behind this
system?

2) When printing out pages that utilize style sheets(linked external
files) none of the formatting appears.  Because I'm only using style
sheets for basic elements like background and font, this isn't a big deal
but what about when pages with very complex margins, etc. are created and
suddenly become jibberish in printed form...or is hard-copy a past
technology??

Andrew Mutch
Northville District Library
Northville, MI