CSS, HTML4, and DHTML4

[Don Yarman]

...or, How Web4Lib contributed to and rescues me from my downfall.

I am the incarnation of the adage that "A little knowledge is
dangerous."  As I seem to be approaching danger, I'm turning to
you wonderful people for help.

We recently contracted with a local multimedia design company to
update the look and function of our Web site.  Based on what
I've learned by reading the conversations on this list, I asked
that the new site use cascading style sheets, that W3C standards
for HTML4 be followed, and that the code be validated as well
as run through Bobby.  When the new pages were shown to us last
week, none of these things happened.  I immediately asked them why
not.

A week later, they've responded by interrogating me, and the
veneer of my knowledge is about to crack under pressure.  They've
asked:

> We can make some of the changes you requested, by removing some 
> of the tag information, however, converting the pages completely 
> to CSS will take quite a bit of work. My question is, what is 
> the purpose of this? What is the issue here? Are you looking at 
> creating a set of DHTML 4.0 standards and why?

My real is answer is that I think Thomas Dowling is a god, that I
hang on his every word and will do whatever he says, but I recognize 
that this answer is unlikely to sway them.  

My best answer is that what I've asked for is the official standard.
CSS streamlines the code, and given my Administration's love of
graphics-heavy sites, any streamlining I can do is good.  As long
as we're going to try to determine the display font of our pages,
then CSS seems to be the way to go, as it seems to be the way
the Web is going.

I was ~not~ looking at creating a set of DHTML standards, because
DHTML is all about customizing pages for certain browsers (right?) and
that's clearly bad.

They want to schedule a meeting with me, doubtlessly planning
to talk their way out of doing what I asked... which is fine, if
my imperfect understanding of CSS and validated HTML4 has led me
to make stupid requests.

Thanks for reading this far.  I would appreciate any comments you 
have on the "best answer" I'm formulating, and would welcome an
even better answer if you have one.  I've got some breathing space --
I'm too busy to meet with them until after next week -- so I'll be
able to study for the oral exam they appear intent on giving me.
Suggestions for study?

Grateful for every kernel of knowledge gleaned from this list, I 
remain your most humble and obedient servant,

                              Don Yarman
                              Grandview Hts Public Library
                              yarmando at ghpl.org 

PS:  You're welcome to see what they've done so far as long as you
promise to tell me what other issues I should bring up with them.
The development site is at http://205.182.13.71.  I already know that
there could be a problem if someone has javascript turned off, but
I haven't checked to see how big a problem that could be.