October 11, 2002, 1:21 PM ET
Why don't big-company sites use valid code?
NUblog asks: "Why is the only reliable source for valid Web pages the single person typing away at home?" That is, why do Web companies -- with dozens of supposedly talented developers and designers -- ignore Web standards, while single-person-run sites (such as this one) are completely capable of creating valid code?
"Frankly, this is getting embarrassing," the entry says. "It's the kids showing up the adults." I might add that Wired News is that cool uncle all the kids like.
A few answers and theories are in my old blog entry, "Why news sites don't use XHTML and CSS".
October 11, 2002, 1:14 PM ET
Who says we're making progress?
I got a huge kick out of Eric Ulken's E-Media Tidbits comment regarding the trend of newspapers posting PDFs of its print-edition layouts online:
I don't understand. We've made so much progress in new media. Why are we suddenly so interested in mimicking old media? The Web as we know it is a splendid interface -- hardly perfect, but it's getting better all the time. I have yet to hear any compelling reasons for replicating newspaper pages online. If a newspaper wants to distribute its pages in PDF format so people can print them, great. But why go to all this trouble to display newspaper pages (mid-sentence jumps and all) in a Web browser? If people weren't throwing so much money at this idea, I'd swear it was a joke.
I agree, Eric. The whole idea is bogus -- clearly invented in the twisted minds of newspaper and advertising executives who have no concept of the medium. They don't have a clue.
By the way: For a good laugh, check out gazette.com, which was kindly pointed out to me by Curt W. Its idea of innovation is slopping images of the print newspaper online. Funny thing is, they're serious about it; their user guide says, "Welcome to the Gazette, the future of online newspapers."
October 11, 2002, 1:07 PM ET
Wired News redesigns in all CSS
Wired News has redesigned. In a tremendous win for Web standards and modern Web technologies such as XHTML, the site now uses an all-CSS layout. The site's announcement says it "may be the first major, heavily trafficked, constantly updated site to adopt [Web standards]." CSS guru Eric Meyer is quoted:
This new design is more accessible, faster to download, more flexible and much easier on the Web server itself. Anyone interested in the future of the Web need look no further than this.
Not to mention the site's reliance on style sheets opens the door to many innovations -- such as dynamic text resizing, which the site has already implemented.
I can't articulate how important this redesign is. I suspect and hope it's a major step that will be emulated by many. Proponents of Web standards and CSS are one step closer to reaching critical mass.
I've said it before, but I'll say it again: It's always refreshing to witness a news site that has a clue, technologically.
UPDATE, 3:50 p.m.: Meyer interviews a Wired News site developer who gives more technical details on the redesign.
