Reasons for standards based code

[design-is]

Hi all

I am learning fast the correct (according to current standards) way to build sites and consider myself to be getting the hang of it well.

I do this for freelance projects.

In my day job, the company I work for are setting up a new site. They have had someone outside the company build the bare bones and it has been handed over to us to input the content and finish off the pages.

Its built using tables.

I suggested re-building using standards based design & code, but the I.T. director seems scared and unwilling.

Can anyone provide me with any links to reputable sources on the web that explain the benefits of 'correctly' coded websites? My opinion is clearly not enough to convince him.

Thanks in advance!

Doug

[toddburch]

Ask them if they can spell "deprecated".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Css#Use_of_CSS

[SrWebDeveloper]

Well said, toddburch (and made me laugh, it's so true). :cool:

@OP:

A few more links:

"Why standards compliant HTML matters" (circa 2005, i.e. nothing new) (http://evolt.org/article/rdf/17/60446/index.html)

"The Reason for Web Standards" (2007) (http://blog.case.edu/webdev/2007/08/28/webstandards.html)

FAQ's: What are web standards and why should I use them? (From the web standards project, people who believe in W3C standards) (http://www.webstandards.org/learn/faq/)

Beyond those blogs and opinions, the W3C who is the authority on and the official repository of web standards, has this to say:

In order for the Web to reach its full potential, the most fundamental Web technologies must be compatible with one another and allow any hardware and software used to access the Web to work together. W3C refers to this goal as “Web interoperability.” By publishing open (non-proprietary) standards for Web languages and protocols, W3C seeks to avoid market fragmentation and thus Web fragmentation.

The source of that quote can be found here (http://www.w3.org/Consortium/), right on the W3C web site. Give them that link as the final link, as it matters the most.

I personally offer a golf clap and commend you for taking initiative to follow standards and learn them properly. Beyond the blogs and theories on why to follow standards, the #1 reason to do it is for cross browser compatibility - i.e. the site renders similarly across most major platforms, and a developer and client both appreciate such things. Toddburch hit on another important reason, to keep your code base up to date and avoid unecessary deprecation which results in hacks of code, IE conditionals, CSS hacks and so on. Those are the top two in my opinion.

-jim

[design-is]

Thanks for the replies!

I'll compile something to present to him next meeting :)

Cheers

Doug

p.s. any further info/links still welcome.

[design-is]

Just an update for anyone else looking for stuff - I found a handy presentation:

http://boagworld.com/standards/

[Melrose]

You can also refer him to Zeldman's latest book, Designing With web Standards. He explains the benefits of doing so. Not in-depth, but he gives you a good brief, convincing argument.