Should I start coding in xhtml
Do you think its a good idea for me to start coding in xhtml. I have read several tutorials on it and seems like its not too hard to convert over from html to xhtml. The only problem is, making sure my xhtml is flawless requires so much focus on that alone instead of on PHP and CSS coding which I am also new too.
Busy posted this at 02:56 — 19th February 2003.
He has: 6,151 posts
Joined: May 2001
in short YES
in long YES because it's so easy, XHTML is actually just a end slash on single tags and then you have the XML side of it which isn't very compatible between browsers yet.
If you have coded HTML in lower case and always used quotes around values you wont have any problem adapting if you didnt then you'll have to retrain yourself but it's just practice.
It's not a case of being flawless, just ordered and tidy
Learn XHTML and CSS then move to PHP, XHTML will actually help you in PHP as it's case senstive and tidy code is happy code
Megan posted this at 03:02 — 19th February 2003.
She has: 11,421 posts
Joined: Jun 1999
I agree. Also, if you run a validator every once in awhile you'll get into the habit of coding things properly a whole lot faster. It helps to have an HTML editor that has one built-in, if yours doesn't already. Sure, it may involve a few weeks of frustration but in the long run it will be worth it.
(and I don't think it's a horrible crime if you've got a mistake here and there during the learning stages)
Megan
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TOBART posted this at 05:28 — 19th February 2003.
They have: 42 posts
Joined: Dec 2002
Ok, I use HomeSite 5.0 so I believe it has a built in validater. I think I'll go ahead and start using xhtml.
One more question while I am kind of on the subject. Do you think the online certificates that you can get at w3schools.com are worth the money/effort. They are $50 american to take the test and I think I could pass the html,css,xhtml test pretty soon.
Renegade posted this at 07:30 — 19th February 2003.
He has: 3,022 posts
Joined: Oct 2002
I don't really think you need to take the test, but if you want, then go ahead.
Busy posted this at 09:30 — 19th February 2003.
He has: 6,151 posts
Joined: May 2001
There are other sites with tests (I even have quiz on my site) at the end of the day its (the cert) just a bit of paper, you either know it or you don't
Renegade posted this at 09:42 — 19th February 2003.
He has: 3,022 posts
Joined: Oct 2002
Even if you do know it, you don't need a peice of paper for that...or do you?
Busy posted this at 09:54 — 19th February 2003.
He has: 6,151 posts
Joined: May 2001
thing is what level are they, css 1 or 2 or both, xhtml 1, 1.*, 2.* or all, html 2, 4, or all ... and as none of them are fully accepted on any browser the answers will be different depending on what the book (w3c) says and what actually works.
Example, CSS is meant to be the new method of site layouts, BUT and this is a very big but, it all depends on how its used because if its not used properly it's unaccessible for people with disabilitys even thou it may comply to w3c standards it wont comply with section 803 or wai standards. If you answer the questions to one standard, it could be wrong answer for the others. so who then is right and who is wrong? well youd be wrong cause they set the questions and answers.
The correct way is make your site, turn off CSS and see if your site is still workable, if it is, congrats you have the closest to workable site you can have (with added options like jumping nav and external link descriptions etc).
so at the end of the day its just a bit of paper that means different things to different people.
And if your wondering, it's just about impossible to get all bits (xhtml, wai and 508) working together but not impossible to get two of them (xhtml and wai or xhtml and 508) on a complex layout.
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