| Cascading Style Sheets (or CSS for short)
| |
| | elements appear, so the user is not
|
| have slowly but surely become a website
| |
| | distracted by the more bulky and slower
|
| design standard over the past few years.
| |
| | to load image files. Furthermore, because
|
| It was not that many years ago that
| |
| | all the code involved with CSS page
|
| people used Frames to position their
| |
| | layout is held in one external CSS
|
| content across their web pages and Tables
| |
| | document and is cached, it is faster than
|
| gradually replaced this. Many low-end
| |
| | Table layouts that need to be interpreted
|
| website developers are still very
| |
| | every time a new page is displayed;
|
| comfortable with Tables, as it 'does what
| |
| | 4. It is much easier to edit existing
|
| it says on the tin'. However, more and
| |
| | pages and to add new pages, particularly
|
| more people are now moving over to CSS,
| |
| | in the area of subtle formatting
|
| as virtually all the layout options can
| |
| | amendments. For example, you can change
|
| be achieved using the code.
| |
| | the font or colour scheme across an
|
| One major problem with CSS is that not
| |
| | entire website in literally minutes;
|
| all Web browsers produce the same results
| |
| | 5. CSS delivers enhanced accessibility.
|
| and it has not been helped in the past by
| |
| | In recent years the number of people
|
| the various browsers employing their own
| |
| | using web browsers on hand-held devices
|
| way of interpreting certain CSS
| |
| | has risen significantly and CSS plays an
|
| conventions. You can think your CSS
| |
| | important function in delivering content
|
| design looks OK in the current version of
| |
| | to PDA's etc through additional CSS
|
| your preferred browser and can then be
| |
| | documents. This just isn't possible with
|
| crestfallen when you view your Web pages
| |
| | Table-driven layouts;
|
| in another version that has destroyed the
| |
| | 6. CSS is considered to be more Search
|
| formatting. Therefore, when moving over
| |
| | Engine friendly because they can spider
|
| to CSS, it is important that you use the
| |
| | CSS pages quicker. However, it remains to
|
| capabilities that are consistently
| |
| | be seen if this has any tangible benefits
|
| supported across the entire range of
| |
| | such as an improvement on the your page
|
| popular browsers. It is interesting that
| |
| | ranking.
|
| the new version 7 of Microsoft's Internet
| |
| | On the flipside, there are a few
|
| Explorer has fixed a number of earlier
| |
| | disadvantages to CSS web page design you
|
| anomalies, but many people are now waking
| |
| | should consider:
|
| up to the reality that IE7 has in fact
| |
| | 1. As compared with Tables, CSS involves
|
| caused problems arising from their
| |
| | a much bigger learning curve;
|
| earlier workarounds!
| |
| | 2. Because of cross browser support
|
| So why not bother with CSS, if Tables
| |
| | issues, the time spent implementing
|
| work for you? The principal advantages
| |
| | workarounds should not be underestimated;
|
| are as follows:
| |
| | 3. New browser versions can catch website
|
| 1. Web page code is generally much easier
| |
| | developers napping if you are not
|
| to follow;
| |
| | careful. You can find that earlier
|
| 2. The amount of code used to achieve the
| |
| | workarounds have been overcome and the
|
| same result is much less. The general
| |
| | look of your website has changed
|
| view is that by switching to a CSS
| |
| | overnight.
|
| layout, the typical page size reduction
| |
| | Ultimately, your decision on whether or
|
| is between 50 - 60 per cent;
| |
| | not to move over to see CSS will probably
|
| 3. Download speeds for CSS pages are
| |
| | depend on your level of technical
|
| generally faster than their Table-driven
| |
| | capability and the time you're able to
|
| counterparts. This is because browsers
| |
| | devote to understanding CSS layout
|
| have to read through the table code twice
| |
| | alternatives.
|
| before they are able to display the
| |
| | Summary
|
| contents. They do this firstly to figure
| |
| | There has been an inexorable shift away
|
| out the structure and then again to
| |
| | from Table-driven website designs to a
|
| understand the content. It should also be
| |
| | Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) approach.
|
| recognised that a Table's contents can
| |
| | Ultimately, it is a personal decision
|
| only be presented to the screen in one
| |
| | whether to take the leap, as there are no
|
| go, whereas CSS content will drop in
| |
| | particular technical imperatives to do so
|
| separately, thereby giving a better user
| |
| | right now. But will this all change in
|
| experience. It is also possible to govern
| |
| | the future?
|
| the order in which specific screen
| |
| |
|
