Re: strength of extra-CSS style imperatives

On Thu, 22 Aug 1996, Galarneau, Neil wrote:

> 1) pre-CSS HTML style tags like <B> and <FONT>

These should be depreciated. An idea would be that in Cougar, the EM,
STRONG, CODE etc. tags be given 1-letter names while B I S U etc be given
longer names to encourage useability and readability of the former. This is
something that has puzzled me since HTML 2.0, and now that I see STRIKE
being converted to S as another listmember pointed out, I don't understand
how the authors of Cougar expect authors to prefer the content tags.

I think the whole schieme should be: (This list is taken from "HTML Features
at a glance, http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/MarkUp/Wilbur/features.html)

Font Style Elements

TT -> TELETYPE
I -> ITALIC
B -> BOLD
U -> UNDER or UNDERLINE
STRIKE
BIG 
SMALL
SUB 
SUP 

Phrase Elements

EM -> E
STRONG -> S
DFN -> D
CODE -> CD
SAMP -> SA or SM
KBD -> K
VAR -> V
CITE -> C

This would not conflict with existing specs (with the possible exception of
S which is being implemented in the latest versions of Navigator, but I
think this is a very small concession, since very little people have
actually used it anywhere).

> So my question is: when CSS is present in a document with these
> non-CSS style directives, how should we treat the non-CSS stuff?

Probably override them in all cases, that would be safest. There would be
little reason for a sensible HTML designer to include such tags if he's
using style sheets. The idea of having three levels of markup (one for
rendering on style-less browsers that care for presentation, one for those
who don't, and one for style-aware browsers) is preposterous. The point of
CSS is to remove *all* presentational markup from HTML.

I always use this rule, and I think it will apply to everyone:

I will make pages that are OK on all current browsers, regardless of
platform, interface, resolution or whatever. Browsers that are *aware* of
current specs, even if they can't render them, whould be OK.

I preview my pages with IE, Netscape, Mosaic and Lynx. Netscape and Lynx are
the most important. Especially when I'm designing pages professionally, I
want them to look stunning on Netscape, but I'm conscious enough that they
look good on Lynx. This pretty much covers everything, I believe.

The above proposal will mean that lynx or speech-readers and braille
renderers will be OK. Same for phrase elements... I don't know much about
braille, but I suppose a speech reader would say EMphasized or STRONG words
louder as if emphasizing them in speech, ignoring the CSS.

The bottom line is, in a CSS world, tags like B and FONT won't be used. They
will be marks of a treacherous transitional period in the Web (the one we
are currently in).

= Stephanos Piperoglou = stephanos@hol.gr = http://users.hol.gr/~stephanos/ =
  Four lines in a .sig can't say enough about why you should visit my page!
"I want peace on earth and good will toward man"
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                                    [ from the film "Sneakers" ]

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Received on Thursday, 22 August 1996 17:51:38 UTC