Articles Tagged with CSS

Raising the Bar with Adaptive Templates
A recent project got me thinking about combining Super-Easy Blendy Backgrounds with CSS constants.
Why I Like (and Use) Reset CSS
The CSS framework debate has been reignited a bit. New topic: reset stylesheets. Personally, I prefer working with reset CSS, but a great number of people have taken to the opposite.
Will Page Zoom Prove Relative Units Less Useful?
With browser manufacturers beginning to default to page zoom, will relative units be phased out?
Revisiting Progressive Enhancement in CSS
John Resig recently posted a bit on progressive CSS enhancement, which got me thinking a bit more about a post I wrote some time ago.
Working with Background PNGs and Internet Explorer 6
Using PNG images as backgrounds can be very helpful and useful, but there are some things to keep in mind when working with Internet Explorer 6.
Improving Your Process: CSS Techniques Part 2
Nearly a year ago, I jotted down a few CSS techniques that I use day to day. Some tips included controlling browser defaults, avoiding box model headaches, stylesheet organization, and using a color glossary. I find myself using many of these techniques a year later, but had some updates that might make the lives of some a bit easier.
Closing this Chapter on CSS Frameworks
Has the debate surrounding CSS frameworks been partially due to a misunderstanding of the term CSS framework?
Web Standards Creativity Book Review
Web Standards Creativity is a great book put together by 10 of the most known Web designers and developers in the industry.
Current Events: Accessibility Importance and Downloadable Fonts
A recent legal settlement against Target legally requires the corporation to have an accessible website. This is great news! The latest nightly builds of WebKit now support the @font-face CSS rule; an interesting update to a very popular rendering engine.
At What Point Do Semantics Not Apply?
Are semantics completely inapplicable when it comes to CSS? Do you feel as though trying to create semantic classes is simply overzealous? Without the structured definition and documentation of (X)HTML to back it up, is CSS better left to be implemented on a ‘what works’ basis? Are semantic names that only describe visual orientation as meaningful as valuable as those which describe the informational meaning?
Please do not Use CSS Frameworks
I give the authors of CSS frameworks credit for making an idea a reality, but I hope the use of CSS frameworks is limited to testing environments and the like, as I can’t see their value in the overall Web Standards movement. I don’t mean to step on any toes or anything, it is just my personal opinion.
Is Manipulating the DOM for Presentation Acceptable?
Is manipulating the DOM to include extra markup needed to desired design elements acceptable?
Will the iPhone Affect the Mobile Web? How?
What affect (if any) will the iPhone have on the Mobile Web?
Are Inline Styles Sometimes Okay? When? Why?
Limitations range greatly from one CMS to another, some have embraced Web standards and produce semantically rich and valid markup, while others have put standards on the back burner. One issue I’ve had some reoccurring trouble with in the past is the combination of a CMS with managed images that are part of the design as opposed to having informational value.
Improving Your Process: Templating and Theming
Templating and theming is a great way to help Improve Your Process by giving a solid foundation to work from, as well as providing a way to future proof your websites.
Typography in Headings: sIFR? Image Replacement?
While sIFR has garnered quite a bit of attention and support, I have yet to see it implemented all that often. Is CSS based image replacement preferred?
Improving Your Process: Web Branding Style Guide
Branding is a very involved process that can really make or break a company image. A strong brand can help propel a client to the next level, while a brand that is lacking will hold it back from reaching full potential. A brand guide for the Web can be very helpful with the continuity of your design.
Linux Font Equivalents to Popular Web Typefaces
I have written before about my admiration for Web typography, and in that article I touched on the fact that many “Web safe” fonts can’t be applied to Linux. Linux distributions each ship with their own font libraries, but I’d like to focus on similar typefaces you can use within a font-family to help make your design bulletproof.
When Readers Choose to Use Their Own Style
User style sheets can sometimes interfere with author CSS. Most commonly, users don’t create their own style sheet due to the requirement of a working CSS knowledge. Automated scripts adding custom style sheets for users changes things up a bit, however.
Applying Progressive Enhancement to Your CSS
It is becoming more common for designers to neglect progressive enhancement once unobtrusive JavaScript is obtained. There are countless JavaScript libraries available, full of code that is designed with progressive enhancement in mind. The issue that’s becoming increasingly problematic, in my opinion, is the associated style that is required to achieve desired visual effects.
Improving Your Process: CSS Techniques Part 1
This group of tips revolves around some CSS techniques I find myself using constantly. I’m sure you’ve heard of some, if not all, but hopefully something comes across as new and possibly helpful. This list consists of just a few ideas I keep in mind while developing, and there are more to come in future articles.
Suckerfish HoverLightbox Redux
When the original Suckerfish HoverLightbox was published, I was honestly surprised at the amount of attention it received. I was a fan of the technique, and I was also really glad that many people took the time to read the entire article instead of just playing with the demo and move on. One thing I was disappointed in, however, was the lack of attention to detail on my part in the demo and examples provided. Most of my time was put into testing the technique and determining if it was useful. I have been meaning to revisit the technique and take another look at it, and recently I was able to do so.
My Development and Design Process
Inspired by a post put together from Jonathan Snook, here’s a look into my development process.
The Best Browser Extensions for Web Development
The Web Developer Extension and Firebug extension have proved to be most valuable to me when developing for the Web. Here’s an account of the features I find myself using every day in hopes that I can pass some information along to those who may not make use of these features.
Standards, Semantics, Accessibility, and HTML Email
You can love email, you can hate email. An opinion can vary from one extreme to the other when asking any group of people, but almost everyone using the Internet spends part of their day sending, receiving, and reading email. One thing that the majority can agree on is having a dislike for […]
My Latest Take on Image Replacement
The new design got me thinking about image replacement techniques and I think I’ve come up with a good technique for solving the problem of readers with images disabled and CSS enabled.
Taking Hold of your Submit Button
Coming up with a good method for marking up forms can be one of the more difficult things as a designer/developer. They have a tendency of looking awkward and ugly and can be the low point of any project you’re working on. There have been countless articles written and techniques developed with the […]
Beginning to Style Your RSS Feed
If you’re anything like me, RSS has completely changed the way you browse the Web. It has become much easier to manage the abundance of content I want to read across the net; mostly due to RSS. No longer must I make my way down a list of bookmarks, hoping to find an update here and there.
Calendar Semantics: Table or List
Many times, when a developer first begins to use proper HTML and CSS for markup and style, he or she has a tendency to disown tables and avoid their use at all cost. While thinking that way can allow a developer to discover many creative ways of using the newfound power of CSS, it can put someone at a severe disadvantage.
Introducing MBN DuoTone Headings
One thing that JavaScript is absolutely great for is enhancing the average browsing experience for your user. On the other hand, requiring the presence of JavaScript compatibility can be an utter disaster. In my opinion, JavaScript is great for visual or functional enhancements, but those features should not be necessary to make proper use of any particular document. If a user doesn’t arrive equipped with the ability to run JavaScript, they shouldn’t know they’re missing out on anything.
Knowing What’s !important
As it stands, an author’s style sheet declarations will have precedence over any styles defined within a user’s style sheet. To level the playing field, we find !important. Adding this keyword combination after any declaration in your style sheet (as a user) will give your style the power to overcome what has been […]
A More Obscure Render Bug
From time to time I will come across as cross-rendering issue that takes me by surprise. I’ll spend a fair amount of time trying to solve the problem using semantic code and valid CSS to try and support the particular browser (read: Internet Explorer) and get nowhere. It is at that point I’ll […]
I Vote Conditional Comments
Many developers agree that CSS hacks are not the way to go. Personally, I am on that side of the fence and have been for a long time. I will spend time reworking the style of a document so that it will be cross-browser compatible with no CSS hacks in place. I […]
Giving Markup Some Class
One of the great things about CSS is the ability to give elements a class or id. The trouble is, like many other elements of XHTML/CSS, they can be abused. I know when I first began using CSS, I would give just about anything a class just because I could. I would […]
Beautify Your Print CSS
As mentioned in a previous article regarding CSS and projection, there are multiple forms of media to keep in mind when developing. In my personal opinion, the print stylesheet is a very important addition to any site. I find it frustrating when I come across an article I would like to print out, […]
Suckerfish HoverLightbox
The Suckerfish HoverLightbox is a mashup of three very popular Web design techniques blended together to offer a new way of presenting your image galleries.
Semantic Image Use
Semantic markup often holds more value than meets the eye. When practicing semantics with your markup, a byproduct is increased accessibility, decent base search engine optimization, and a boost to usability. The use of images in development is sometimes a gray area for new developers. The beauty of CSS is the ability […]
Effective Style with em
Using relative font sizes for Web design can be a great benefit to both the developer and the reader. Read about using em for font size.
Google vs. Web Standards - Part 2
In continuance of Part 1: How could Google better their situation? First, a step back needs to be taken and the overall picture needs to be dissected. What is Google offering? To put it simply, Google’s main founding purpose was to offer the best search engine on the Web. Looking further into […]
Google vs. Web Standards - Part 1
According to Google’s Company Overview: “Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Google is arguably the most widely used search engine ever. According to the Nielsen NetRatings from SearchEngine Watch, Google accounted for 46.3% of search engine traffic in November of 2005. We can all safely assume […]
Jonathan Christopher
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Albany NY 12210 USA