| CSS or Cascading Style Sheets has opened up | | | | be removed. For applying CSS each cell of a table |
| tremendous possibilities for improving web site | | | | can be considered as a "box". These boxes are given |
| designs, web page layouts and adding new features. | | | | separate identities and description of each "box" goes |
| The HTML code can be made shorter, cleaner and | | | | into CSS code. The "boxes" can be given names such |
| simpler by CSS resulting in faster loading of web | | | | as box1, box2 etc. The description of the "box" can |
| pages, and making them more accessible to search | | | | include size, its location on web page, background |
| engines. Here I am narrating my experience with only | | | | color and image if any, font details, padding, border |
| one part of CSS - using it to eliminate tables.If you | | | | details etc. The location of the "box" can be made |
| look at a traditionally designed web page, you are | | | | "fixed" on the web page, or it can be floating in |
| likely to find number of tables in the layout. Tables | | | | which case location can be defined with respect to |
| were earlier used only for displaying information in a | | | | another "box".If the location and dimensions of the |
| tabular form. But web site designers soon started | | | | boxes are properly worked out, they neatly fit into |
| using tables for other applications such as showing | | | | the web page giving it a clean look. Since the code |
| images, graphics and other decorations.My own web | | | | associated with table designs are done away with, |
| pages were earlier checkerboards of tables. Each | | | | the content of the page attains more prominence in |
| web page was almost fully covered with tables and | | | | the code. This makes it easier for search engine |
| many tables were nested inside other tables. As I | | | | spiders to locate the actual content of the page.If |
| tried to add more features the design became more | | | | you have several web pages with similar design, the |
| and more complicated resulting in longer loading times. | | | | CSS code with these and other details can be put in |
| It also took lot of time to "adjust" the tables on the | | | | an external file. This will further shorten the code for |
| page to make it acceptable.It was not an easy task | | | | each page. With CSS lot many improvements can be |
| to redesign all the pages using CSS. But once I | | | | done in web page design and layout. CSS can also be |
| started, the improvements were more than I had | | | | used for search engine optimization of the page.My |
| bargained for. The design became simpler, the | | | | experience with CSS has been great and I wonder |
| appearance improved and loading time came down | | | | why it is not used more often. My advice - convert |
| considerably. The code looked real clean. Most of 'td' | | | | to CSS based design.Sanjay Johari contributes articles |
| and 'tr' tags were gone.My purpose of this exercise | | | | regularly to various ezines. His website contains |
| was not really to change the appearance but to | | | | information, articles, resources, opportunities and |
| make the design simpler. Now the tables which were | | | | more for small business owners and home based |
| earlier used only for design purpose have been | | | | business owners. |
| eliminated. For eliminating tables first step is to decide | | | | the longest running internet business opportunity - |
| which tables or more specifically which cells have to | | | | because it works! |