Whilst I agree that any furthering of the/our understanding of the capabilities of CSS is a Good Thing ™, I also tend to agree that, on average, the quality of articles on ALA has gone down significantly.
To put it another way, before (whenever that was), ALA articles generally had the base intention of helping a great many of the readers do something they’d been wanting to do for improving the websites they create for the users. Now (whenever that begain), ALA articles seem to have the base intention of publicizing hacks and kludges to the tune of pleasing the occasional off-kilter client.
Unfortunately, the only way to draw the line between the two is with “feeling” (the same way one person might judge something as “art,” and another might not). I can’t think of the right words for the situation, but it almost seems as if the distinction between techniques (which implies an element of craft) and tricks (which implies something of a more devious, short-sighted nature).
Perhaps the best way of saying it is that it feels as though we’ve reached the summit of the mountain, and are now, unfortunately, rolling back down the other side. We’ve pushed CSS/XHTML to its limit, and are now trying to estabilish new tricks that won’t help the user, but will only further our own egos (or those of our clients). We’re headed back toward tag soup—toward something we’d never want our clients to even touch, lest they “break” something, and that’s just foolish.
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Tristan
If the example image had been something else than that diamond-shaped monkey on a dromedary; if the coloured squares had been more discrete, and if there had been less aliasing over them, then my primary reaction would have been less painful..
Although I acknowledge the amount of work to achieve them, the existing examples make those markup/css tricks quite hard to swallow..
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Graham
Whilst I too could not see myself using the technique I think the article is interesting and can stimulate thought in our minds so thanks for publishing it.
ALA for me acts like an online (although not real time) brainstorm session – and that’s valuable. It’s up to each individual to take or leave the techniques that are presented. And the comments you get often point the way to other and/or better refinements.
Are you disappointed still to get some negative comments despite the appearance of your new aquatic car logo?
I just happened to see this on slashdot, and I think that the column thing really works in that context. They could possibly put a technique like this to work.
Those who say this technique is a bit too messy have a point. But then again, articles like this can be an inspiration to other developers, even if it only proves that it is not worth bothering with – isn’t that part of what ALA is all about?
Also, do I detect a bit of an anti-print design bias in the comments? The web is about distributing information, it is not just media for computer monitors. Some of it, believe it or not, is printed on paper and read.
I think there’s a place for techniques to achieve print-style layouts.
38 Reader Comments
Back to the ArticleBacon
Whilst I agree that any furthering of the/our understanding of the capabilities of CSS is a Good Thing ™, I also tend to agree that, on average, the quality of articles on ALA has gone down significantly.
To put it another way, before (whenever that was), ALA articles generally had the base intention of helping a great many of the readers do something they’d been wanting to do for improving the websites they create for the users. Now (whenever that begain), ALA articles seem to have the base intention of publicizing hacks and kludges to the tune of pleasing the occasional off-kilter client.
Unfortunately, the only way to draw the line between the two is with “feeling” (the same way one person might judge something as “art,” and another might not). I can’t think of the right words for the situation, but it almost seems as if the distinction between techniques (which implies an element of craft) and tricks (which implies something of a more devious, short-sighted nature).
Perhaps the best way of saying it is that it feels as though we’ve reached the summit of the mountain, and are now, unfortunately, rolling back down the other side. We’ve pushed CSS/XHTML to its limit, and are now trying to estabilish new tricks that won’t help the user, but will only further our own egos (or those of our clients). We’re headed back toward tag soup—toward something we’d never want our clients to even touch, lest they “break” something, and that’s just foolish.
Tee Bore
IMHO There is no problem with the quality of the article, which is fine. Sometimes you have to do funny things as per client request.
It is true though, the article is addressing something that is in no way a practical issue.
Tristan
If the example image had been something else than that diamond-shaped monkey on a dromedary; if the coloured squares had been more discrete, and if there had been less aliasing over them, then my primary reaction would have been less painful..
Although I acknowledge the amount of work to achieve them, the existing examples make those markup/css tricks quite hard to swallow..
And, yes, it looks like a joke! ,)
Ash Haque
NEver knew you could do that stuff! Awesome article
Graham
Whilst I too could not see myself using the technique I think the article is interesting and can stimulate thought in our minds so thanks for publishing it.
ALA for me acts like an online (although not real time) brainstorm session – and that’s valuable. It’s up to each individual to take or leave the techniques that are presented. And the comments you get often point the way to other and/or better refinements.
Are you disappointed still to get some negative comments despite the appearance of your new aquatic car logo?
Mike Purvis
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/01/11/business/ibm.html
I just happened to see this on slashdot, and I think that the column thing really works in that context. They could possibly put a technique like this to work.
clint
man what a bunch of zealot crybabies.
ala is as always- putting forth ideas, stretching, enlarging and sometimes breaking barriers that have led to where we are now.
its like some of you forget who runs this mag, and the fact that he just might know a thing or two.
drop your stones, and the last I looked this wasnt the salem witch trials.
fritz the cat
Those who say this technique is a bit too messy have a point. But then again, articles like this can be an inspiration to other developers, even if it only proves that it is not worth bothering with – isn’t that part of what ALA is all about?
Also, do I detect a bit of an anti-print design bias in the comments? The web is about distributing information, it is not just media for computer monitors. Some of it, believe it or not, is printed on paper and read.
I think there’s a place for techniques to achieve print-style layouts.