I'm currently developing content for a site in which several people are coding different portions. The W3C protocols were mentioned in the beginning, and everyone agreed that writing compliant code was the goal. Shortly after this, a template was agreed upon, pages were coded, the CSS was ignored, there are font tags all over the place and the original template was hacked beyond recognition. Sooooo, I'm now in the process of shaking the bugs out of all the code. I opted for HTML-Kit because I can output the code to XHTML and strip all font tags in the process. Leaving it as is ISN'T an option. I've never questioned the importance of valid code after originally getting my feet wet with HTML. I've seen several arguments concerning dated browsers, why code for grandpa surfers, etc. I've always replied to those arguments with the Supermarket analogy. The people that own the market allow you to park whatever kind of car you happen to show up in, in fact, they don't care if you walk up, so long as you can enter the door and spend your money on their products. If you can imagine a supermarket displaying a sign stating "This parking lot optimized for Ford Vehicles" and you are comfortable with that, then I suppose that compliant code isn't an issue. The next two projects I have lined up are XML sites. Valid code isn't an issue. If it's not well-formed, it's NOT going to display. For now I have to go back to shaking bugs out of SpectreNet, I got tagged as the "webmaster" and along with that comes the repsonsibility of making sure the code complies to the standards that are in place, much the same way radio station managers have to comply with FCC rules and builders have to comply with local building laws. Compliancy wasn't meant as an option, it's a standard. :) Dean Bloomfield aka DigitalGhost --- Shirley Kaiser wrote: >At 03:22 PM 2/3/2002, Meredith typed: >>In a vaguely tangential thread, evolters are discussing the >>value of coding to standards. I wonder how many evolters >>don't do this because we're too small/too swamped/lack the >>resources to keep up with changes, etc. (I'm in this >>category.) I confess to testing sites in too few browsers >>(latest IE/Netscape on Win/Mac, Netscape on linux, plus >>Opera on Win) and I don't often bother to validate my code, >>even though I know I should, because it just doesn't seem >>that relevant right now. > >First, regarding being too small, too swamped, lack the resources to keep >up with changes: >I am a one-person web design and development business. I do subcontract and >work on team projects, but I'm a self-employed person running my own >business via a home office. In terms of small, that's pretty small. I'm >also swamped all the time, working weekends and too many long hours. So I >can certainly understand and relate to what you mean. > >I guess for my own situation with running my own web design and development >business I don't even think about keeping up with changes as an option >since I figure if I want to stay in business it's an absolute necessity. >For myself, I feel that if I want to keep food in my frig and a roof over >my head, I do all that I can to make sure that happens both today and in >the future. Whatever I do and the decisions I make directly impacts my >business and whether or not I have money for groceries, etc. Part of >keeping my business thriving is staying up with the latest and continued >learning. > >We're each in different situations and job descriptions, though, too. > >In terms of testing with various browsers and systems, I test with as many >browsers as I can manage on a couple of PCs here and I do check in with a >couple of discussion lists and ask for feedback from other systems, too. I >do this also because my clients fully expect their sites to work on a >multitude of browsers, and I also guarantee that they will..... so I stand >behind that. > >All those things (and others, of course) are built into my scheduling and >my time for each project I take on. > >That's my own philosophy, though, and I understand that we each have our >own. That's just how I operate and works well for me, knowing that others >have ways that work well for them, too. > >Next, regarding validating your code: >I'd love to hear why it doesn't seem that relevant to you to bother to >validate your code and what your thoughts are about that. (I'm sincere in >this question.) I'd truly like to know and understand your point of view >and why it doesn't seem that relevant. And let me know also the kind of >work you do, too, as it would help me understand better, too. > >Also, do you use an HTML editor, a WYSIWYG editor, code by hand, or what? > >For example, I use HomeSite, and while it has a validator built in I've >opted for purchasing CSE HTML Validator and validate my work as I go along >to catch any errors as I go (potentially saves a major headache later, >too). At some point I then validate the page via W3C's validator. > >It takes only seconds to do that, and if I validate as I go, the time is so >minimal. > >It's relevant to me because I want to make sure that various browsers >render the page, for example. While IE 4 and 5 may be somewhat more >forgiving about table code errors, Netscape 4 may not even render the page >at all.... the page could appear totally blank. That's only one example of >a long list. > >So, as I mention, I build that in to my scheduling, too. It's not an >option, and my clients also appreciate that I do all that and want me to >once they understand why I do. That's often part of why they hire me. > >>Similarly, I have a chance to attend a Managing Web >>Development Projects conference, sponsored by CIO magazine, >>in early March. >>(http://www2.cio.com/events/viewevent.cfm?EVENT=4722) The >>copy says, "This introductory course is intended for people >>who want to understand and practice the process of managing >>the development of a Website." Then it says, "Talk Like A >>Project Manager. [I'm not sure I want to do that.] Project >>Management has a vocabulary all its own. Understanding terms >>such as acceptability criteria, critical path analysis, >>Gantt chart, scope creep, and work breakdown structure is >>necessary for communication with your team and other project >>managers." Again I wonder, how important is it for me to >>understand "scope creep?" Will "acceptability criteria" >>allow me to keep checking sites in the same few browsers? > > From your description it doesn't sound like they're getting into >standards, accessibility issues, usability issues. Of course, to me, those >should be part of what's being managed for a project. Sounds like they're >going to talk more about management itself, though. I don't know.... just >guessing, and I didn't check the URL, either. > >>Bottom line: how relevant is this stuff to small business >>folks like me? Should we pay attention to it? Make a >>serious effort to learn and stay on top of it? Buy an >>O'Reilly book or two about it? > >Well, Meredith, if you're running a small business in web design and >development, I just wrote above my own opinion about it, since I run a >small business, too. From my view it's relevant whether you have a small, >medium, or large web design and development business. And yes, we should >pay attention to it, and yes we should make a serious effort to learn and >stay on top of it. > >In my opinion, once again, I think developing sites based on standards will >help provide the best sites for clients. It also actually makes my job a >whole lot easier, amazingly enough, using standards-oriented markup, and >allows for so much more, encompassing backward, current, and forward >compatibility. > >So that's my viewpoint. I'll look forward to your thoughts. > >Warmly, >Shirley >-- >Shirley E. Kaiser, M.A., SKDesigns mailto:skaiser1@skdesigns.com >Web Site Design, Development http://www.skdesigns.com/ >WebsiteTips: Design Resources http://www.websitetips.com/ >Brainstorms and Raves http://www.brainstormsandraves.com/ > >-- >For unsubscribe and other options, including >the Tip Harvester and archive of thelist go to: >http://lists.evolt.org Workers of the Web, evolt ! _____________________________________________________________ Sign up for a FREE email account with SpectreNet.org at http://www.spectrenet.org All accounts are permanent, spam, and pop-up free. Absolutely NO advertisements. Get the name you want from the site that delivers technology.