Re: Seybold column: Why Tables for Layout Is Stupid

[BizShop <bizshop -at- bizshop -dot- com>]

I am struggling to make CSS layout work in all the browsers, and find it 
very frustrating.  There are kludges - and then browsers (like IE7) that 
break the kludges.

The idea of CSS replacing tables is a very good one -  and I recognize 
the benefits - but can anyone point me to any large/prominent e-commerce 
site that is laid out entirely in CSS? I've been searching for someone 
who has done the research - and have looked at a few of the big 
ecommerce sites by viewing source code - and all I've checked so far use 
table based layout with lots of CSS on top.,

Two advantages people often cite for CSS

1. Order of data for search engines, making content first - easily done 
in a table! Assuming a simple table of 2 rows and 2 columns per row, 
just make row 1 column 1 empty (or an image like a logo) and row 1 
column 2 have a rowspan=2 attribute. Then the nav sits nicely in row 2 
column 1 and is served last.

2. Ease of maintenance/separation of content from layout/lean pages - 
CSS allows you to change everything with a change in external 
stylesheets. True for the 'look', but not the content, which requires 
with old-fashioned 'includes' statements. You can include everything but 
the main content. So your page incorporating both these ideas  could 
look like:
<pre>

<table><tr><td><img src='logo.jpg'>
</td><td rowspan=2>
<?PHP include("masthead.htm"); ?>

Main content

<?PHP include("footer"); ?>
</td></tr><tr><td>
<?PHP include("navigation.htm"); ?>
</td></tr></table>

</pre>

In reality - all the opening table tags could be part of the included 
files. For example, all the tags preceding could be part of masthead.htm

SO you end up with:

<pre>

<?PHP include("masthead.htm"); ?>

Main content

<?PHP include("footer"); ?>
<?PHP include("navigation.htm"); ?>

</pre>

What could be cleaner? Ideal for clients - all they need to do is 
provide the Main Content, and I can set that up as a simple input form.

--
For mutual success, Steve Veltkamp, BizShop
1713 E 3rd St, Pt Angeles WA 98362
Sales 800-949-8029 Gen 360-452-2418 Fax 206-350-7122
http://BizShop.com    bizshop -at- bizshop -dot- com
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