Tables vs. CSS

[kabatak]

Even in webmastering classes tables are taught and told to be used for your layout. I know professional designers who use tabels for layouts WAY before CSS.

And that's actually the problem... "Professional" designers probably learned from school, school teachers learned from books, during those times all the books says tables are the way to go.

CSS isn't new but its implementation and popularity wasn't on until recently (atleast 5 years ago). Most schools still teach the old table style and I do not know why they just won't teach the new stuff. My thoughts are probably because teachers are just relying on their old books or they're just lazy to learn/teach the new stuff because it's rather more complicated than tables. Or... they're probably not surfing the internet a lot like most "newbie" designers do where they can find CSS tutorials all over the net these days. Bottom line: most schools doesn't teach the "better" thing atleast at this point in time.

And yes, I actually see skilled designers using tables, they're "skilled" meaning they can draw real high end graphics but cannot code properly, they still rely on WYSIWYG/slicing/tables which is probably what they learned from school. Tables is not a bad idea, but niether is it good. It's probably a matter of preference wether to use either, but what is recommended at this day and age is now CSS.

 

[Starcraftmazter]

Even in webmastering classes tables are taught

Why wouldn't they be....tables have a clear use - displaying tabular data.
Nothing else.

and told to be used for your layout.

If tables are tought to be used by layout in classes, those teachers should be fired.

I know professional designers who use tabels for layouts WAY before CSS.

No such thing.

 

[kabatak]

@Starcraftmazter - funny how your site in your sig is built in tables

 

[Starcraftmazter]

You laugh at some strange things.

 

[Darthvadersmaster]

Eh, I've got little experience, but I normally use tables...mostly because I'm not great with CSS..

 

[Blade1941]

This poll is very wrong, I think I was the only one voting for divs.

Both Divs and Tables are attributes in the HTML language so first of all it's between them you choose.

My layout is usually made with Divs I will tell you why soon, and my site graphics is made with CSS, you didn't ask about the graphics you asked for the layout and I usually like I said make it in Divs. Graphics with both colors/image graphics I do with CSS style sheets.

First of all, tables is for table text

This is an example of what table is:

Item | Price:

Cheese | $ 30

Tobaco | $ 40

Where you type table text, and that is what tables is for it's mostly for lists.

While divs are for layouts and graphics, that's why I'm using Divs combined with CSS in the language XHTML strict, cause the site will be better coded if it's XHTML strict than when it's HTML, but you could obviously use Divs in regular HTML if you whould like to do so instead, cause XHTML tend to be wierd in the Internet Explorer browser sometimes if you don't code it so it match both FF and IE.

 

[martin ewing]

Idk about the only expert...but are you saying I can't be one because I'm a busy person?

Yeah.. Why not? Sure you can be one of the experts. That's really nice that you are busy with your work.

Any use of tables for layout is wrong.

Yepp..I agree. Tables can be treaky and inflexible. Nested Tables loads more slowly and tables created layout might hurt Search Engine Optmization. However, both tables and CSS have some advantages and disadvantages. One should follow web standards that will surely make professional and quality developement IMO. :classic2:

Horizontal alignment...

<div style="text-align:center;">stuff, images, anything</div>

It's ok..I know.. Generally it is difficult to get proper horizontal alignment in CSS. It is totally depends on the float declaration even it is supported by all modern browsers. :classic2:

 

[Blade1941]

By the way, tables looks better in both firefox and internet explorer than Divs do, cause Divs is more strict coded and follows the web standards.

 

[Tree]

I've found CSS eliminates all browser conflicts. I'd reccommend it to anyone.