[thesite] Additions to default CSS file

[aardvark]

> From: ".jeff" <jeff at members.evolt.org>
[...]
> i disagree.  here's why.  we're giving the user the ability to style
> the background color of three different cells.  for one of those cells
> the user may decide they'd like to set the background color to be the
> same as the foreground color for the links in the main content area --
> as is the case with evoltoldschool.css to recreate v1.0 look and feel.
>  however, without giving them the ability to color the links in the
> upper two cells independently of the links in the content area, but
> instead forcing it to be the same color as the links in the main
> content area, we've unnecessarily made it impossible to do without
> hiding key elements/functionality of the site.

ok, i see your point now... but then wouldn't that mean that we 
have to *individually* class *every* <a> that sits outside of the main 
content cell?

the reason i ask is (hopefully) clear... i'm resisting classing every 
element just to apply a style... it feels like spaghetti, and it feels 
like we're now embedding our style in our markup -- not hard 
styles, but definitely calls to specific styles (which is close 
enough, IMO)... style elements and containers, class exceptions, 
use inline for extreme exceptions... instead we're talking about 
treating every <a> as an exception, which really makes it the 
norm...

> > i still like stealth better -- namely because no one
> > else who saw it could read anything...
> 
> select all and you can read it just fine.  ;p  only a geek would think
> of that though.

how do you think i read the copy on those all white and super-light-
gray sites?

> > i think a better solution, however, is ensuring the
> > predefined CSS files don't make that mistake...
> >
> > the fallback should be classing...
> >
> > IOW, my preferences/arguments still stand... (like
> > allowing our users to mess it up because we trust
> > they might actually go and fix it)...
> >
> > er... am i making sense now (so sleepy)?
> 
> yes, but i think you're answer dodges the current situation.  in other
> words, how are we supposed to make evoltoldschool.css work with the
> existing site while still maintaining the old v1.0 look and feel?

we don't... it doesn't have to be a 1:1 re-creation...

> i've offered my solution to the problem.  i'd like to hear yours.

thing is, i don't see a problem...

i *do* see solutions being proposed, but if i don't see a problem, i'll 
resist solving it...

i just don't think a 1:1 re-creation of one design or complete 
customization is good enough reason to start bloating code with 
embedded pseudo-style...

this all goes back to my preference to see a more restrictive 
scheme of allowing customization if we feel our users are too dim 
to notice they're not seeing some links anymore after they make 
their own...