When developing a Web site, it's one thing to create a great, standards-based site. It's quite another to keep the code clean after handing it over to the client.
As an example, I've included a specific problem. But I'm interested in the larger issue. (I've inherited a huge Web site at www.sc.edu/beaufort that needs some serious work. So far, I've been able to patch the thing to work well on Win IE and some WIN NN. It doesn't work well on Macs or for disabled visitors. But whatever I do will have to be worked on by many people in many departments. And none of them have Web training.)
Current example:
As an example, I've included a specific problem. But I'm interested in the larger issue. (I've inherited a huge Web site at www.sc.edu/beaufort that needs some serious work. So far, I've been able to patch the thing to work well on Win IE and some WIN NN. It doesn't work well on Macs or for disabled visitors. But whatever I do will have to be worked on by many people in many departments. And none of them have Web training.)
Current example:
I originally designed my United Way of Beaufort site as XHTML Strict, but have since "downgraded" to Transitional. But the more I think about it, I may need to downgrade yet again. Here's my problem.
I gave up on using FrontPage to do the site because it throws in too much crap. So I got a (fantastic!) freeware program called HTML-Kit, a text-based HTML editor integrated with TIDY. I'm loving it, and I don't see myself using FP anymore except as a "jot pad" for Web ideas.
But once I hand off this site, it's going to be managed in FrontPage, no matter what I do. And all the United Way has is FrontPage 2000, which has miserable support for standards-based Web creation.
Here are my options, as I see them, with comments:
1. Upgrade to FP2002. I understand FP2002 handles XHTML better. But it would cost the United Way money, something they have precious little of. Any feedback?
2. Downgrade XHTML to the generic HTML 3-4 smear that FrontPage creates. Of course, I'd have to test the hell out of the code in various browsers and likely dumb some of it down to tables. But I think I could make this work.
3. Put the majority of the page in XHTML Transitional, but let FP2000 generate its crappy code in the main content area. I can make all the menu items into included pages that FP would never touch, so it wouldn't screw things up. But within the main-content div, all hell would break loose. What would happen? Browsers in quirks-mode?
4. Teach the old lady who manages their Web to write XHTML. Sometimes she has trouble with MS Word, but who knows ... Perhapse she'll take to it quickly
. This seems hopeless and time consuming, but so do the other options.
If you want a look at the code, the page is here, and the css is here.
Does anyone have comments on this particular problem or general suggestions for workflows that ensures non-Web-savy people keep their sites clean?I gave up on using FrontPage to do the site because it throws in too much crap. So I got a (fantastic!) freeware program called HTML-Kit, a text-based HTML editor integrated with TIDY. I'm loving it, and I don't see myself using FP anymore except as a "jot pad" for Web ideas.
But once I hand off this site, it's going to be managed in FrontPage, no matter what I do. And all the United Way has is FrontPage 2000, which has miserable support for standards-based Web creation.
Here are my options, as I see them, with comments:
1. Upgrade to FP2002. I understand FP2002 handles XHTML better. But it would cost the United Way money, something they have precious little of. Any feedback?
2. Downgrade XHTML to the generic HTML 3-4 smear that FrontPage creates. Of course, I'd have to test the hell out of the code in various browsers and likely dumb some of it down to tables. But I think I could make this work.
3. Put the majority of the page in XHTML Transitional, but let FP2000 generate its crappy code in the main content area. I can make all the menu items into included pages that FP would never touch, so it wouldn't screw things up. But within the main-content div, all hell would break loose. What would happen? Browsers in quirks-mode?
4. Teach the old lady who manages their Web to write XHTML. Sometimes she has trouble with MS Word, but who knows ... Perhapse she'll take to it quickly
If you want a look at the code, the page is here, and the css is here.