On Validation
You've undoubtedly seen the little logos affixed to the bottom of web pages that confirm that the page validates to strict XHTML and CSS specifications. I've even managed to validate some of these pages at one time or other. Then I make changes and generate errors. I've been endlessly frustrated with CSS and I have a bit of a problem with the whole W3C thing. Not that there's anything wrong with some standards (until you involve engineers and QC people and lawyers that is). Anyway those problems will be well-documented elsewhere--suffice it to say right now that I think web design should be as easy as the first home-publishing programs that I used years ago. Page Express was a program I used on a home computer soon after Windows 95 hit the scene. Later I bought and used Microsoft Publisher 98... I (gasp) still do. The way I see it you should be able to form a bunch of boxes to contain your content, use handles to resize them, and re-flow text from area to area as you see fit. So why does it get harder instead of easier?
For the time being, and with my quest for compliance in mind, I present the validation I will be using, the WFM validation:
Which means it Works For Me. The pages on this site work on the few browsers that remain on my computer. I should include one for Most Of The Time since I may at some point become so frustrated with Firefox or Internet Explorer that I just allow that it will work in only one browser. I guess I would need to post a disclaimer and recommend the browser to use, a real no-no in any designers' book.
Here is the validation logo that you may have seen on those sites lucky or good enough to qualify for the W3c endorsement:
Check the bottom of this page to see my validation (if it still meets my standards by the time I am through). I have a few alternate possiblities for the times when the quality does not quite make the grade. For instance:
Which means Who The Heck Cares? This one takes into account an attitude that is attained after wasting a complete day trying to make a page work, all because of a triviality. There is another one for those times you've spent hours trying to discover why one browser has gaps between header and content and footer and finally finding that you need to specify that headings have no space above them:
This is the "What Happened?" icon. Which means I may have corrected the problem but derive absolutely no satistaction from the process or the result.
I hope this clarifies things for you. We here at LynFiles are always trying to improve the finished product. Even if it means developing and implementing new strategies. Maybe I'll put a form in to process and validate your own web pages. Afterall, you can never have either enough documentation or peer appreciation from your fellow nerdies and ninnies.