[thelist] how does XHTML/CSS seperate content from design more than using nested tables and the like?

[Chris W. Parker]

hi.

i've been doing a lot of reading lately on XHTML 1.0 Transitional and
CSS lately on some websites, a list apart (http://www.alistapart.com/),
and the new york public library site(http://www.nypl.org/styleguide/).
what i've gathered is that it's very important to seperate content from
design. and it's suggested that using XHTML/CSS is a good way to do it.
but i have questions and concerns.

1. all the CSS-only sites i've seen all tend to look the same. there is
no longer the complicated looking pictures and layouts. it's all pretty
basic with mostly text. can anyone give me some examples of complicated
sites using CSS only?

2. is javascript compatible with XHTML? in a page i'm trying to convert
now (just to XHTML well-formedness, not a no-tables layout) the
validator gives errors for two onClick events. are these not allowed in
XHTML or is there a different way to utilize the same thing?

3. how does XHTML/CSS, when used correctly, seperate content from design
more than using tables does? in a regular HTML page with nested tables
etc. you have to define what goes where and how it should look. and
likewise a page with a bunch of DIV tags and CSS definitions you still
have to do the same thing. please explain how it makes
redesigning/adjusting layouts easier.

thanks.
chris.