XHTML - Strict or Transitional

What should i be using

[Andrew Thomas]

Im converting my HTML pages to XHTML, and wasnt sure if i should be converting to 'Strict' or 'Transitional' XHTML, what is the advantage of using Strict over transitional, i know there are more validations required eg remove border and width etc etc.

What does everyone else use?

thanks

[Nick_W]

Depends on your layout. I'd go with transitional if it's a tables layout and XHTML 1.1 if it's a CSS layout.

Nick

[marek]

It depends on your goals. For instance, I use XHTML Strict along with CSS layout, where the simplicity and the maximum accessibility of the content is important. On the other hand, I you prefer backward compatibility of the design (esp. in NN4.x), you may want to use the table layout and some of the Transitional doctypes.

[lorax]

XHTML Strict with CSS2P is a bit more fussy - as you would expect. But getting rid of tables is a blessing unless you really need to accommodate NN4.7. In this case you'll need to use Transitional.

Be brave... go for it!

[SuzyUK]

FWIW

My site was XHTML Strict, using CSS (no tables), but I found that the one attribute I couldn't live without was the: a target="_blank"

It's not supported in the Strict version, now call me old fashioned but I don't like unneccessarily diverting people away from my site so I use this whenever I have an external link..

Therefore I've changes to a transistional DTD

Suzy

[lorax]

target="_blank"

Yeah, that is sort of a pain and I'm not sure why it's verbotten (forbidden). But...I'm ok with traffic leaving my site. That's what it's there for. :)

[marek]

target="_blank" is forbidden in strict XHTML becaus it has no meaning from the semantic point of view and (X)HTML *is* semantic language. The target attribute modifies how the browser behaves, so it should be replaced with the client-side scripting.

Btw, openning new browser windows may often cause a usability or accessibility problems and according to WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, see W3C/WAI) is allowed only if users are clearly informed about that beforehand.

[SuzyUK]

Ok, I agree and am trying to stick to the W3C guidelines as best I can(as a web designer that is), but as I see it, it depends on what your site is for...not everyone remembers to add you to their favourites list before getting led off by an external link...

i.e. one of the sites I'm working on is for a company who are a supplier/hirer of goods, now they don't mind external links to their manufacturers, because it gives the client some extra info on the product(and the manufacturer doesn't sell direct), but they *DO* want the client to remember to come back and buy the products from their company...

so they will care if traffic leaves their site and doesn't *remember* to come back!

I'm a web designer but also a business person, so although i understand that we have to have forward compatibility...I think I'll cross this particular bridge when I get there.

Suzy

[marek]

not everyone remembers to add you to their favourites list before getting led off by an external link

True, however if an external link opens in the same window, they can go back at least. On the other hand, if the link opens in a new window, there is no way back, because the browser's history is empty. Of course, the original window is still waiting somewhere, but imagine an inexperinced user with her desktop full of various windows -- chances are she never get back to your one.

Another kind of users hates the new windows and they will hate your site too, if you open links in new windows.

Simply put, opening new windows is almost always a usability and accessibility issue and your primary business goal is making usable and accessible web site, isn't it. If you succeed in usability, you needn't worry about custommers :)

[Andrew Thomas]

Thanks for all the comments,

I was about to use 'strict' XHTML, but i didnt know about the target = "_blank", i need this so i will probably stick with transitional for this site.

thanks again