Standards Compliant = No support for NN4?

Hello all,

I'm currently attempting to build a standards (in terms of accessibility AND valid code) compliant page, using div tags instead of tables for layouts, etc, using float and clear CSS tags to position elements.

This works great in standards compliant (e.g. newer) browsers, but it looks a mess on Netscape 4.7 (and probably any other variations of NN 4.x)

An author on "A List Apart" suggests that I shouldn't bother attempting to make it compatible with NN 4.  They suggest hiding the site content from them, and give an explanation that the site is standards compliant, therefore works only in standards compliant browsers and other accessibility devices, and that for them to see the site they must get a standards compliant browser.

While I see his point, in that we should be striving towards future compatibility and not backwards compatibility, I can't help but think this is the same as "Best viewed in xxxxxx" mentality, and that it goes against the "accessibility" idea?

Please share your views on this, I'm sure they'll enlighten me. 

Regards,

Andrew Johns



---
Andrew Johns
Developer
JKD
Westminster Business Square
1-45 Durham Street
London 
SE11 5JH
Tel:  020 7793 9399
Fax: 020 7793 9299
URL:  www.jkd.co.uk
---


James Kelsey Design Ltd (JKD) or The Incepta Group plc and its subsidiary companies may not be held responsible for the content of this email as it may reflect the personal view of the sender and not that of the company. JKD run anti virus software on all servers and all workstations, they can not be held responsible for any infected files that you may receive. JKD advises all recipients to virus scan any file attachments.

Received on Wednesday, 19 June 2002 05:58:25 UTC