[thelist] Accessibility and Proper Tabular Data Markup or Overkill?

[Christian Heilmann]

Jono wrote:

> Thanks for the link Chris.  My reasoning for using the id/headers 
> pairing is for the added flexibility it allows for styling.  I forgot 
> to remove the align="right" and <b></b> before positing.  It looks 
> like some of the examples on the page in that link use the scope 
> attribute in addition to id.
>
How is that? An ID identifies only one element, so somehow you still mix 
markup and presentation...

> So doing this would be just as well...
>
> <table summary="This table...">
>     <tr>
>         <th scope="row">Name</th>
>         <td>Mr. So Andso</td>
>      </tr>
>     <tr>...</tr>
>     <tr>...</tr>
> </table>
>
> ...as this:
>
> <table summary="This table...">
>     <tr>
>         <th scope="row" id="name">Name</th>
>         <td>Mr. So Andso</td>
>      </tr>
>     <tr>...</tr>
>     <tr>...</tr>
> </table>
>
Sure can, albeit I don't see what need is there, styling all the THs the 
same makes them easily recognisable.

> Being that this information is so simple, and borderline tabular ( I'm 
> not sure it is really ) I am wondering if I should use a styled 
> definition list instead?
>
> Like so:
>
> <dl>
>     <dt>Name:</dt>
>     <dd>Mr. So Andso</dd>
>
>     <dt>Office:</dt>
>     <dd>Office name here</dd>
>
>     <dt>Phone:</dt>
>     <dd>555.555.5785</dd>
> </dl>

IMHO not a good idea, as this is the other way around that it should be

The title is defined by the definition not the definition by the title.

<dl>
<dt>Camel</dt>
<dd>A camel is an animal that lives in the desert and is used as  a 
mean  of transportation. Its ability to store water for days makes it a 
perfect desert dweller</dd>
</dl>

Whereas "Office Name" does not define what an Office is.

Another option would be <address>