Paula Petrik wrote:
When I read the W3C specs (not the most riveting exercise on the
planet), it seems that the developers emphasize absolute
positioning.
For example, they describe using floats to float small bits of text
or images. It seems, however, that floats have become the order of
the day. Rather than small bits, whole parts of designs are floated
about. Was this the W3C's intent? Or, have floats become the modern
equivalent of tables?
In a manner of speaking, yes.
Here is a whimsical page using floats in a way I believe they were
actually intended to be used:
http://www.projectseven.com/tutorials/css/holy-gruel/ifloats.htm
Is there some reason why absolute positioning
has fallen by the wayside? CSS-Discuss's wiki describes absolute
positioning as capable of "simple designs"; yet, a significant
proportion of csszengarden designs are absolutely positioned, and I
wouldn't term them simple. Just wondering what the current wisdom is
on this issue.
It's one tool in the box - though I believe it is much more useful
than a lot of other CSS authors.
This page uses a "classic" float, as well as an absolutely positioned
sidebar:
http://www.projectseven.com/products/templates/pagepacks/tbm/keylime/p7keylime_03.htm
--
Al Sparber
PVII
http://www.projectseven.com
"Designing with CSS is sometimes like barreling down a crumbling
mountain road at 90 miles per hour secure in the knowledge that
repairs
are scheduled for next Tuesday".
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