Re: @useragent (was Proposal: version at-rule)

Chris Moschini wrote:

> So - how about being able to place a set of rules in an @useragent block, a la:
> 
> @useragent( "MSIE", 6 ) {
> /* rules here */
> }
<snip/>
> This sort of checking is discouraged but is sometimes essential in the Javascript world - why not learn from success?

   Success?  AFAIK, browser sniffing with javascript has never been 
totally successful when it's checking for strings like "MSIE" or 
"Netscape", which is exactly what your CSS proposal is doing.  Try 
viewing the Microsoft Office [1] website with Mozilla for a good example 
of the kind of mistakes browser sniffing can make.  The following 
warning is presented because of this poor browser sniffing:

“Warning: You are viewing this page with an unsupported Web browser. 
This Web site works best with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or later 
or Netscape Navigator 6.0 or later. Click here for more information on 
supported browsers.”

   IMHO, if standards compliant coding is used, browser sniffing 
*should* never be required.

[1] http://office.microsoft.com/home/default.aspx

-- 
Lachlan Hunt

E-Mail:  lachlan.hunt@iinet.net.au
Phone:   (02) 6862 2819
Mobile:  0427 202 908
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          Parkes NSW 2870
          Australia

Received on Thursday, 25 March 2004 19:39:33 UTC