css hacks

css hacks (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Web Development] >> Cascading Style Sheets and Accessibility

Message

dpf -> css hacks (10/30/2005 11:19:12)
I dontuse css for positioning but I do read all the posts (and absorb some and remember none). I notice that it is prevalent to have to write "hacks" to make somethings work in IE. What will happen to these hacks if IE7 is fully compliant and prepared to render correctly but gets steered to the hacks? just a thought

jaybee -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 11:44:25)
Ah Ha, Someone else who's noticed a potential problem. I've had a debate with Debs about this. I have never used a hack in my css. I prefer to tweak the design. Precisely the reason you state. Now in theory, all new browsers will be backwards compatible with the old ones but I just have this sneaking suspicion that somewhere down the line MS will wake up to the accessibility thing and all of a sudden all the old IE hacks will break the new one. Hacks for hacks anyone? [&:]

jaybee -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 11:53:09)
Oh, missed a bit. IE7 will apparently be far from compliant so no problems/surprises there. However, they are saying that the new, whatever it is (not a browser) that ships with Vista will be compliant. In theory the hacks won't matter because fully compliant browsers already ignore them.

caz -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 12:31:20)
If I have to use them for various versions of IE, I have served targetted conditionals instead so that it will be easier to remove them down the line. Most of them are for older versions anyway.

dpf -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 12:39:21)
quote: instead so that it will be easier to remove them down the line. but if it does become necessary - how many sites will be out there and "broken"? how many will no longer be handled by the original developer? just like the classic problems in computer programming, to what extent are "hacks" documented to that someoneother than the original author acan spot and correct them.

caz -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 12:52:01)
That's the $64,000 question of course. [;)]

spitfire -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 13:36:42)
dpf makes some very good points, but css-ers are on to it. For instance (to highlight just two css gurus) How to deal with some of the changes "said" to be coming in IE7 http://www.positioniseverything.net/articles/ie7-dehacker.html http://www.quirksmode.org/blog/archives/2005/09/css_hacks_are_s_1.html Despite all the good info out there (already) many existing sites will be broken during the v..e..r..y.. gradual change over to IE7. But, many developers are now using css for positioning and a css developer for an existing/broken site should be able to recognise and be well conversant with the hacks. A good original developer would have documented the hacks in the css file - if only as a personal reminder as to what they do and why they are needed. If not, there is a wealth of documentation out there. Just a few of the collections of IE hacks http://www.positioniseverything.net/explorer.html http://www.maratz.com/blog/archives/2005/06/16/essentials-of-css-hacking-for-internet-explorer/ http://www.stylegala.com/articles/no_more_css_hacks.htm imho caz has got the right idea i.e use conditional comments linking to IE stylesheet(s). http://www.brucelawson.co.uk/index.php/2005/future-proof-your-css-with-conditional-comments/ dpf, I appreciate you're not into css-p(ositioning) but some of these links may help those who are or who may be somewhat turned off moving into css-p by the thread.[;)] Cheers spit

dpf -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 13:58:06)
quote: who may be somewhat turned off moving into css-p by the thread. it wasnt my intent to discourage anyone - i genuinely wondered

spitfire -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 14:06:18)
Quite understand... no reflection on your intent old bean[:D]. But fora are buzzing about this aspect and this one was not... until your post that is, which afforded the opportunity to provide some more information for those who may be concerned or thinking about dipping their toes into css-p.

d a v e -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 14:25:03)
maybe we could drop IE 5 soon like we have done NN4? ;)

dpf -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 14:28:18)
one of the reasons that Microsoft has so much trouble trying to make windows crash proof was their commitment to backward compatability for old dos programs. in retrospect, that was a mistake on their part. at some point, the technology moves forward and clinging to old programs has consequences. dump IE5..[:)]

Tailslide -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 14:45:22)
I have read (although who knows how true it is) that the MS Developers are taking hacks into account when designing IE7 so for instance it won't recognise the *html hack that is often used for IE5 to IE6. It pays to avoid real hacks as often as possible and when you do have to use them, as people have said, keep them separate.

spitfire -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 14:56:19)
quote: ORIGINAL: d a v e maybe we could drop IE 5 soon like we have done NN4? ;) I dropped NN4, then found one of my "modern" sites is a favourite with people living in Africa. You know... walk 4 hours to get to a tin shack that houses the only computer for hundreds of miles... queue another 4 hours to use it... browser in use... you guessed it. My Africans have just hit 5.5% of visitors, the site is not badly broken in NN4 but I'm going back to the drawing board.[8D]

jaybee -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 15:42:14)
quote: I dropped NN4, then found one of my "modern" sites is a favourite with people living in Africa. You know... walk 4 hours to get to a tin shack that houses the only computer for hundreds of miles... queue another 4 hours to use it... browser in use... you guessed it. My Africans have just hit 5.5% of visitors, the site is not badly broken in NN4 but I'm going back to the drawing board. OR........ Have a whip round to buy them a nice shiny new computer with Firefox pre installed. [:D]

spitfire -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 15:51:21)
Cute... 5.5% is a helluva lot of people, in god knows how many locations/shacks. Around 100 kits would be a start. Would you like to contribute to the whip round?[:D]

jaybee -> RE: css hacks (10/30/2005 16:10:30)
Yup! I've got a couple of spare mice and a keyboard. Might even be able to dig out a spare P4 machine.

Page: [1]

Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.4.5 ANSI

0.078125