| CSS and Tables: The hype and the trends | | | | |
| | | | Some things are just easy-to-do with tables |
| The History of tables | | | | |
| | | | People often find themselves writing fairly |
| Before tables came along, the web was a | | | | complicated CSS to do something that would be |
| pretty dull place. Using tables forlayout | | | | trivial using tables. Take form styling for |
| opened up new vistas of possibilities of | | | | an instance. It's possible to lay out even |
| visually "designing" a page. | | | | very tricky forms using tables in just a few |
| | | | minutes. You can achieve similar results by |
| It could well be argued that table based | | | | floating elements with CSS, but it's a lot |
| layout was responsible for the popularityof | | | | more involved. If you're a CSS guru it's all |
| the web and the field of web design. | | | | part of the fun. However if you're a regular |
| | | | mortal, it can be incredibly frustrating. |
| Worse still, over the last few years, table | | | | |
| based layout has come under severe criticism | | | | Another such thing is page footers. It's |
| and was widely demonized. Web purists claim | | | | pretty easy to do using tables. Whilst doing |
| that tables were never meant for layout so | | | | this using CSS alone, it would hardly be any |
| one shouldn't use them for such. A rapidly | | | | wonder why web developers turn their back on |
| progressive hype seems to be in the air all | | | | CSS when even simple things are rendered so |
| around. | | | | |
| | | | If you have the knowledge and patience, you |
| Reality behind the hype | | | | can do most things using CSS that you used to |
| | | | do using tables. Sure it may take you longer, |
| Despite the fact that pioneers have been | | | | but you'll get there in the end (or die |
| talking about web standards for a long time, | | | | trying). |
| the majority of web sites are still developed | | | | |
| using tables and non standards compliant code | | | | CSS benefits. But does it provide you what |
| . | | | | you need? |
| | | | |
| History has shown many examples of | | | | It's true that switching a large site to a |
| technologies that started out life with one | | | | CSS based layout can save a huge amount of |
| purpose, only to end up finding more | | | | bandwidth. However, for most sites, this |
| practical applications as something else. And | | | | saving would be insignificant or mostly |
| it sounds very apt in case of tables. The web | | | | irrevelent. |
| itself was never intended to be a channel for | | | | |
| edutainment, marketing and information but | | | | People want fast loading pages and many |
| for sharing research data. | | | | advocates have suggested that CSS helps |
| | | | accomplish this. For most sites, the "design" |
| Using tables is a pragmatic approach, if not | | | | is spread evenly across the whole site. |
| preferred | | | | However with CSS based sites, the "design" is |
| | | | usually held in one or more external files. |
| The W3c Web Accessibility Guidelines | | | | These files can be fairly complicated, and |
| recognize that designers will continue to use | | | | even for a simple site, can get big, or even |
| table for layout - and so include information | | | | fast. |
| about how they can be implemented in the most | | | | |
| accessible way. Designers are not going to | | | | Search engine friendliness: CSS vs Tables |
| immediately stop using tables for layout; | | | | |
| mainly owning to the reason that this is the | | | | It's true that the search engines like |
| default behavior of most WYSWYG (what you see | | | | semantic pages. It's also a widely held |
| is what you get) Web design packages and; CSS | | | | notion that search engines like lean code. |
| for layout is so difficult to implement | | | | Building a site using CSS and web standards |
| successfully. | | | | can defiantly encourage the development of |
| | | | search engine friendly sites. However it's |
| Moreover, Professionals still argue the use | | | | neither magic bullet, nor a panacea either. |
| of tables for the layout of pages on the Web, | | | | |
| despite the fact that this goes against | | | | There are many table based sites that score |
| current standards. They argue it to be a | | | | very highly in the search engines. It's |
| pragmatic approach - if not their preferred | | | | equally possible to build a CSS based site |
| options. | | | | that gets a terrible search engine ranking. |
| | | | The most important thing for high ranking is |
| Let's explode the myths: CSS vs Tables | | | | content and inbound links, not whether a site |
| | | | uses tables or CSS for layout. |
| Most web designers don't simply feel the need | | | | |
| to switch over | | | | Issues pertaining to accessibility |
| | | | |
| The majority of web sites are still developed | | | | There is quite increasing number of people |
| using tables and non standards compliant | | | | who try to sell web standards and especially |
| code. Because of this, user agents will be | | | | CSS based design by playing on client's |
| forced to handle table based layouts for many | | | | accessibility fears. |
| years to come. This effectively negates one | | | | |
| of the biggest selling points for web | | | | There isn't anything inherently inaccessible |
| standards. That of forward compatibility. | | | | about table based design. While it's true |
| That's why, most web designers really don't | | | | that your site needs to be published to a |
| feel there is an overwhelming need to start | | | | recognised set of grammars to get an AA |
| developing sites using CSS based layouts and | | | | accessibility rating, tableless design is |
| standards compliant code. | | | | only a recommendation, not a requirement for |
| | | | the more stringent AAA rating. |
| CSS development has a much higher barrier to | | | | |
| entry than table based design | | | | The final word |
| | | | |
| While comparing table based design to CSS | | | | Final Table based design will be around for a |
| based design, the syntax of CSS, for sure, | | | | long time. However, it is not good enough |
| turns out to be is pretty easy. Nobody in | | | | just to say that it is wrong to use them . In |
| their right mind would argue that you need | | | | certain circumstances using tables for layout |
| too be a rocket scientist to learn CSS. | | | | can make much more sense than CSS. |
| Nevertheless, some of the concepts can be | | | | |
| quite tricky to assimilate. | | | | Web standards and CSS based design are |
| | | | defiantly the way forward. However in the |
| Continuing in the same spirit it is true that | | | | rush to advocate these "new" techniques, |
| there are so many bugs, even the "experts" | | | | people end up being hyperbolic and the |
| find themselves spending an inordinate amount | | | | reality falls short of expectationent Company |
| of time bug fixing. For a novice this must be | | | | with a well connected development |
| extremely frustrating. Not knowing if the | | | | infrastructure in India having a strong |
| problem is down to your misunderstanding of | | | | offering superior web services and solutions |
| CSS or some obscure browser bug. | | | | at competitive costs. |
| | | | |
| Perhaps this is why many people see web | | | | Deepak Sharma is a Web Designer at BlueApple, |
| standards as "Ivory Tower" and why many web | | | | a Web Design and Development Company with a |
| standards advocates come across as having a | | | | well connected development infrastructure in |
| sense of superiority and a zealous attitude | | | | India having a strong offering superior web |
| towards web design. | | | | services and solutions at competitive costs. |