Centering using text-align

[jessejump]

How do I center a single div block using text-align: center? I need it for IE5. I can't get it to work putting it on "body".
I've read it here many times.
What's on the page is a lone DIV width 500px.

(margin: 0 auto on the div works fine)

[jessejump]

I'm guessing text-align: center doesn't work in later browsers. Margin: 0 auto on the div is necessary?

[swa66]

The standard way to center horizontally is auto margins and a given width on block element such as a div.

IE5: that's so ancient it might indeed need what IE6 needs in quirks mode: text-align: center on the parent. I've long since no more copy of IE5 (nor visitors still using it) ...

A standards compliant browser should not center a block if it's parent has text-align:center (that's only for centering inline elements)