Re: compliance and layout tables revisited - useful article

You might find this article useful:  "Table Manners: Creating accessible
Tables for both layout and data" - Jim Byrne concludes that the use of
tables for layout is done properly can be compliant. e.g.

Note the words 'should not use tables for layout', are qualified by 5.3,
'unless the table makes sense when linearized'.
The note attached to guideline 5.3 says 'Once user agents support style
sheet positioning, tables should not be used for
layout.' 

Therefore given that:
User agents do not yet support reliable and 'usable' style sheet
positioning, as has been demonstrated in this article,
nevertheless it is possible to create layout tables that make sense when
linearized. My interpretation of the W3C
Guidelines is that tables can be used for layout, certainly until Cascading
Style Sheets for layout become more reliable.

Full article can be found at:
http://www.scotconnect.com/Accessibility/tablemanners.php

Pat Byrne
ScotConnect
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Received on Friday, 10 May 2002 18:09:24 UTC