html tables (was: Re: [Sc-devel] main help draft 2)

[nescivi]

On Wednesday 31 October 2007 19:51:13 Scott Wilson wrote:
> Very odd. Tables are not exactly a new html feature. It renders on my
> first gen Intel instantly. Is it okay in Safari on the same machine?
>
> > (I've no time to fix this (using paragraphs and stylesheets instead
> > of tables, which are not meant as a layout scheme))

HTML was not meant as a layout scheme, but as a markup language.
The browser then determines the layout, to get the markups right, so headers 
look like headers, paragraph text like paragraph text, and tables like 
tables.
Stylesheets are hints for browsers, which they may or may not follow. (in good 
browsers users can determine this).

Tables are the best solution in this case, as we attempt to give an structured 
overview of things, and this is what any browser will make out of it.
If the used browser has a problem with tables, then it has a bad 
html-rendering implementation. Fix that or complain with the people who 
should be fixing it.

> You might want to test this before working too hard on it, and make
> sure the html writer preserves it. Also check with Marije to see how
> w3m deals with any custom css.

Probably not.

sincerely,
Marije