| XHTML, the standard, was first released back in | | | | functionality, the standard makes clear tables are not |
| 2000. Roughly five years later we begin to see major | | | | to be used for page layout or anything other than |
| websites revised to use this standard. Even the | | | | displaying data in a tabular format. This is generally |
| favorite whipping boy of standards-compliance | | | | the primary obstacle most designers have with |
| punditry, Microsoft, presents their primary | | | | moving to XHTML. The manner in which many |
| homepages, and in XHTML. Standards compliant | | | | designers have come to rely on to layout and |
| XHTML sites are still the minority. The reason is | | | | organize their pages is now taboo. Simple visual |
| simple. When the W3C released the new standard, | | | | inspection of XHTML code reveals how light and |
| the rest of the web running on HTML did not cease | | | | efficient it is in comparison to a table based HTML |
| to function. Nor will the rest of the web, written in | | | | layout. XTHML makes use of Cascading Style Sheets |
| various flavors of HTML, cease to function any time | | | | (CSS), which, when called externally, remove virtually |
| soon. Without any pressing need to conform to the | | | | all styling information from the XHTML document |
| new standard, designers continue to use old, familiar | | | | itself. This creates a document focused solely on |
| methods. These methods will perform in any modern | | | | content. |
| browser, so why bother switching? | | | | XHTML makes use of "div" tags to define content |
| These sentiments are similar to ones I experienced. | | | | areas. How these "divisions" are displayed is controlled |
| A kind of "if it's not broke, don't fix it" mentality sets | | | | by CSS. This is known as CSS-P, or CSS Positioning. |
| in. Whether HTML was "broken" or not is a different | | | | Trading in "table" tags for "divs" can be tough. |
| argument. To the casual Internet user, their | | | | Learning a new way of accomplishing an already |
| standards are fairly direct. If a site displays without | | | | familiar task is generally difficult. Like learning to use a |
| noticeable error and functions to their satisfaction, | | | | different design program or image editor, frustration |
| these standards are met. Whatever additional steps | | | | can be constant. Looking at "divs" as a kind of table |
| the browser took to make such display possible is | | | | cell might be helpful, though they are not entirely |
| irrelevant to most users. This kind of mentality is | | | | equivalent. As required by the XHTML standard, |
| difficult to overcome in designers accustomed to | | | | always make sure there is a DOCTYPE definition at |
| their old methods. | | | | the top of the document. This is not only required by |
| Technical obstacles to adopting XHTML may be quite | | | | the standard, but it will force Internet Explorer 6, |
| steep as well, especially as regards large, existing | | | | currently the most common browser, to enter its |
| websites with complex scripting. Yet the time may | | | | "standards compliance" mode. IE6 and Firefox, both |
| eventually come where yesterday's "tried and true" | | | | operating in standards compliance mode will display |
| HTML is little more than an ancient language, unable | | | | XHTML in much the same way. Not identical, but far |
| to be interpreted by modern electronic devices. | | | | better than IE6 operating in quirks mode. Learning |
| Whether one agrees with the direction the W3C | | | | how to iron out the final differences between |
| takes in the development of HTML is irrelevant, you | | | | displays is the final obstacle and can require a bit of |
| are just along for the ride. With some perseverance, | | | | tweaking in the CSS. |
| getting the hang of XHTML is possible. In form, it is | | | | Clean code has multiple benefits. It creates a smaller |
| not as different from HTML as Japanese is from | | | | page size which, over time, can save costs |
| English. Knowing HTML grants a basic knowledge of | | | | associated with transfer usage. Though the size |
| the language, it simply becomes a matter of learning | | | | difference may appear small, for someone running a |
| a particular dialect. Even an original nay-sayer such as | | | | highly trafficked site, even saving a few kilobytes of |
| myself managed to do it. | | | | size can make a big difference. Further, some believe |
| Benefits of XHTML | | | | search engines may look more kindly on standards |
| There are 2 primary benefits to using XHTML. First is | | | | complaint pages. This is only a theory, though. In a |
| the strict nature of valid XHTML documents. "Valid" | | | | general sense, any page modification that makes the |
| documents contain no errors. Documents with no | | | | content easier to reach and higher in the code is |
| errors can be parsed more easily by a browser. | | | | considered wise. Search engines, so it is believed, |
| Though the time saved is, admittedly, negligible from | | | | prefer to reach content quickly, and give greater |
| the human user's point of view, there is a greater | | | | weight to the first content they encounter. Using |
| efficiency to the browser's performance. Most | | | | XHTML and "div" layout allows designers to |
| modern browsers will function well in what's usually | | | | accomplish this task more easily. |
| referred to as "quirks" mode, where, in the absence | | | | Conclusions |
| of any on-page information about the kind of HTML | | | | XHTML is the current standard set by the W3C. The |
| they are reading, present a "best guess" rendering of | | | | W3C continues development of XHTML, and XHTML |
| a page. The quirks mode will also forgive many errors | | | | 2.0 will replace the current standard in the future. |
| in the HTML. Modern browsers installed on your home | | | | Learning and using XHTML today will help designers |
| computer have the luxury of size and power to deal | | | | prepare for tomorrow. Valid XTHML produces no |
| with these errors. When browser technology makes | | | | errors that might slow down a browser, and the |
| the leap to other appliances it may not have the size | | | | code produced is clean and efficient. This saves in file |
| and power to be so forgiving. This is where the | | | | size and helps designers better accomplish their |
| strict, valid documents demanded by the XHTML | | | | search engine optimization goals. Learning XHTML is |
| standard become important. | | | | primarily about learning a new way to lay out pages. |
| The second benefit is in the code itself, which is | | | | Though frustrating at first, the long term benefits far |
| cleaner and more compact than common, "table" | | | | outweigh any initial inconvenience. |
| based layout in HTML. Though XHTML retains table | | | | |