Why XHTML 1.1/CSS?

I know it's better, but...

[mep00]

Let's face it, I know it's better, you know it's better, but how does one convince thier client/employer that it's better?

I receintly read an interview at WaSP with Ryan Carver. He points out that "...search engine benefits greatly outweighed 1% of the audience seeing an unstyled (but still completely usable) site." Some other reasons might include better accessablity, easier maintainence, faster loading/less bandwidth, and future compatiblity.

Those are all good reasons, but other than SEO, it might be hard to convince the bean counters. What other reasons can be given to convince them? My main interest is in how to convince the small guy why my clean code is worth spending more money on than the other guy's garbage with a pretty face, but more general reasons are also worth noting.

As far as the "pretty face" goes, that's what sub-contractors/freelance designers are for.

[edited by: Travoli at 2:27 pm (utc) on Jan. 14, 2004]
[edit reason] delinked [/edit]

[DrDoc]

HTTP_ACCEPT is not set if the browser is buggy, or when you validate your page.
Also, SEs usually don't send HTTP_ACCEPT.

[mipapage]

or when you validate your page.

Ahhhh, that's why... Thanks!