Setting my sights on standards

Web standards, that is.

I've been messing around with HTML for about eight years now. I know, it's puny compared to the web gurus' out there, but it's a considerable experience nevertheless. I've had my share of coding using table layouts, (now) deprecated tags, frames (guilty!), and other utterly browser-specific markups.

But I've realized the problems when my pages barfs when viewed in other (less popular) browsers. I've even made it a point to install major browsers (Netscape, IE, Opera and Mozilla) in my boxes, and have them opened while I code. (BTW: hand-coding for me all the way. Tried Dreamweaver once, seemed pretty bloated to me. I shun Frontpage.) I even changed my screen resolutions, trying to design on 640x480 screens. My eyes get bleary from all that.

The point is: I've had my share of frustrations about cross-browser compatibility and other issues regarding web design and development. And I got tired of it.

Enter CSS and XHTML. Heaven-sent, these acronyms are. While it's not that easy converting from plain vanilla HTML, most of my problems go away. For example, I can now design layouts without switching screen resolutions -- I leave that to the browser to render the styles and markups. Okay, I still have IE (with the latest service packs) installed along with the greatest browser on earth, but I'm pretty confident that my code will work for both. I tend to be minimal in my coding so hacks are usually pared to the barest.

Of course, I've got a long way to go. My coding skills are worth shit compared to Meyer, Fahrner, Zeldman, et al. But thanks to sites like W3C, Blue Robot, and the Web Standards Project, I can stand alongside those who chose to fight for (web) standards.