[WEB4LIB] Re: CSS-2 "solution" and Font Tags

[Andrew Mutch]

I'm sure Thomas Dowling or one of the other HTML gurus can respond better but...

I don't think one can say that font tags have been deprecated since they were never a valid form of markup.  They were a non-standard hack by the browser companies, Netscape was the first I think, to do what should have been done with CSS.  I don't know if the <font> tags preceeded CSS but I would guess that the browser developers were either unwilling or unable to provide CSS support properly and instead settled on the <font> hack.

Yes, CSS is probably going to require you to think more up-front about the kinds of styling that you'll apply to your documents.  However, you are not required to set all of your formatting in a separately-defined style sheet.  You can apply style "in-line" to address those specific style situations that come up.  I know that tables have been an issue in the past but I would assume, a big leap I know, that the CSS-2 compliant browsers will provide a level of uniformity in table display that hasn't been shown in the past.

As has been pointed out by others, the move to separate content and presentation is coming whether we are ready for it or not.   There are many users of the Internet for whom all of that HTML mark-up for presentation means nothing or is a hinderance to their use like:

* Users of hand-held devices
* Users with visual disabilities
* Users with slow Internet connections

Is it going to be easy?  No, I shudder at the idea of converting a large site to a CSS-2 compliant site.  But, I know the final product will be easier to manage, more logically structured and better for all in the long run.

Andrew Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library
Waterford, MI

Craighton Hippenhammer wrote:

> I really don't understand why font tags are deprecated.  It seems to me that CSS limit and/or complicate HTML coding.  To have to nest font instructions up front makes it difficult to make minor variations on one's theme that just rub my hide raw.  For example:  nesting font instructions inside <P> tags:  what if I want some paragraphs separate and some I don't want a blank space in between.  And then, of course, if you have many tags nested....   re:  <P><STRONG><I>...  Grr.  And then let's put some of the text in a table.  Oh, goody.  Ever seen what the differences are there between Netscape and IE?
>
> Oh, what fun we're having.
>
> Craighton Hippenhammer
> Information Technology Librarian
> Olivet Nazarene University
> chhammer at olivet.edu
>
> >>> Andrew Mutch <amutch at waterford.lib.mi.us> 04/19/01 11:14AM >>>
> One of the benefits of a long commute is that you can turn over in your head those
> problems from the work day.  So it was with my CSS layout problem last night....
>
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