Microsoft Table Tags
Brian E. Stricklin
Here's a new challenge for all. Make an HTML page are that is a three
colomn, 4 row table (header, footer, and two body rows with options on how
to lay out the rows) Then "color" the table for the Internet Explorer by
using its bgcolor and background attributes. Suddenly background and
content are united. Excited?
Don't be too excited. Navigator 3.0 does not support these table
attributes, and will simply show a table with the background of the page.
Now suppose the background of the page is white, but the background for a
table cell (i.e. <td bkcolor="#000000>).
is black. If the font color is white, or very light, as the black
background requires, it will be lost to the navigator users who will
instead see the white letters on the white background. Nor would IE users
see the letters if they were black.
The tags are too useful to ignore. Microsoft is right to introduce these
tags, and Netscape and W3C are wrong not to put them in their specs. But
with goal of making webpages for all to see, we can introduce a rule as to
how to use the Microsoft Table Tags:
Use dark letters on light or pastel backgrounds. Then netscape users will
be able to read a properly laid out page, even if it doesn't look as good.
Warren Steel
Brian E. Stricklin wrote:
[ *extravagant paean to TD BGCOLOR= ]
[ *explanation of data loss on non-supporting browsers ]
[ *suggestion to prevent data loss: use pastel backgrounds! ]
> The tags are too useful to ignore. Microsoft is right to introduce these
> tags, and Netscape and W3C are wrong not to put them in their specs.
Now I've heard everything! Does the term "degrade gracefully"
mean anything to you? Can there be any advantage to inventing a
tag that can easily make your text invisible on most existing
browsers? If you *are* using MSIE, can there be any advantage
in *not* using style sheets to create the desired effects?
For for a true story about TD BGCOLOR= and FONT COLOR= see
http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~mudws/fint.html
--
Warren Steel mu...@olemiss.edu
Department of Music University of Mississippi
URL: http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/~mudws/
Robert G. Eldridge
On 10 Nov 1996 22:31:21 GMT, "Brian E. Stricklin" <bri...@mis.net>
wrote:
>Here's a new challenge for all. Make an HTML page are that is a three
>colomn, 4 row table (header, footer, and two body rows with options on how
>to lay out the rows) Then "color" the table for the Internet Explorer by
>using its bgcolor and background attributes. Suddenly background and
>content are united. Excited?
>
>Don't be too excited. Navigator 3.0 does not support these table
>attributes, and will simply show a table with the background of the page.
Since when? (at least for the Win95 version) Nav 3.0 does support the
bgcolor attribute. It does not support the background attribute but
that attribute is to specify a background picture, not to "color"
(sic) a table.
Load this in your Nav 3.0 browser and have a look:
<html>
<head><title>Table Test</title></head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
<table>
<tr bgcolor="#ffff00"><th>Table Test</th><th>1</th><th>2</th></tr>
<tr><td rowspan=2>Colours</td><td bgcolor="#ff0000">Red</td>
<td bgcolor="#00ff00">Green</td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#0000ff">Blue</td><td bgcolor="#000000">
<font color="#ffffff">White</font></tr>
<tr><td>R.Eldridge</td><td>(c)</td><td>1996</td></tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>
>Now suppose the background of the page is white, but the background for a
>table cell (i.e. <td bkcolor="#000000>).
>is black. If the font color is white, or very light, as the black
>background requires, it will be lost to the navigator users who will
>instead see the white letters on the white background. Nor would IE users
>see the letters if they were black.
Had a look now? It works, yes?
This doesn't mean I support the use of white text on white pages
(making use of a black background only where the white text is) but
you did offer up a "challenge".
>The tags are too useful to ignore. Microsoft is right to introduce these
>tags, and Netscape and W3C are wrong not to put them in their specs. But
>with goal of making webpages for all to see, we can introduce a rule as to
>how to use the Microsoft Table Tags:
>
> Use dark letters on light or pastel backgrounds. Then netscape users will
>be able to read a properly laid out page, even if it doesn't look as good.
The "rule" you suggest of having a high level of contrast between
content and background is common sense because it is common sense NOT
because of any perceived deficiency in Netscapes handling of
Microsofts bgcolor attribute in tables.
Robert G. Eldridge Cardiff NSW Australia
robert....@hunterlink.net.au
http://www2.hunterlink.net.au/~ddrge/
WebServices
good one. i'll work one it...