Re: http://validator.w3.org/ who came up with this site?

Rick Horvath wrote:
> I just used my own site to test its validity. Your site
> http://validator.w3.org/ responded with so many acceptable 'errors' -
> I can't believe you would offer this service!

First of all, you need to calm down.  Second of all, if you can't accept 
that, just maybe, it is you that has made the error, rather than the 
tool, then perhaps you shouldn't use it.  However, in the interest of 
easing your pain through the process of validating your page for the 
first time, I'll point out your mistake.

> My code dos not contain any unacceptable code.

That point is quite debatable, but it depends on your definition of 
acceptable vs. unacceptable code.

> All of the errors listed are indeed valid. Maybe HTML has changed
> since you last updated your checking techniques?

The validator checks the document according to the rules expressed in 
the DTD, referenced by the DOCTYPE declaration.  HTML has not changed 
since the validator was last updated, rather your document has specified 
an inappropriate DOCTYPE, which means the validator is checking your 
document against an inappropriate DTD.

> Here are a few of your responses:
> 
> Error /Line 27 column 15/: there is no attribute "ROWS".
> 
> |<FRAMESET ROWS=*"*150,*,80" BORDER="0" FRAMEBORDER="0"
> FRAMESPACING="0">| ||
> 
> |My response: YES THERE IS a ROWS attribute - look it up|

Yes, indeed, there is a ROWS attribute defined in the HTML 4.01 
recommendation.  However, your document specifies HTML 4.01 
Transitional.  You need to use the HTML 4.01 Frameset DTD instead.

> Error /Line 62 column 6/: end tag for "HTML" which is not
> finished.|</HTML*>*| |**| |*The tag is indeed closed, look at the
> source code*|

Yes, the element is closed, but that is not what the error means.  It 
means that you have omitted a required element, according to the DTD, 
and the validator has encountered the end-tag before it was expected. 
This error, like most others, is only a result of having specified the 
wrong DOCTYPE.

Change your DOCTYPE to HTML 4.01 Frameset:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Frameset//EN"
     "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/frameset.dtd">

Then validate.  You will then find 3 errors, which *are* real errors 
that you should fix.
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.noodleware.com%2F&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=HTML+4.01+Frameset&verbose=1

> It would be nice if someone supplied a validation site which actually
> worked correctly

It would be nice if users learned to use the tool correctly, before 
jumping to conclusions and blaming it for all their problems.

-- 
Lachlan Hunt
http://lachy.id.au/

Received on Wednesday, 5 October 2005 04:22:42 UTC