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Make sure you follow all the HTML standards. Sometimes it seems like the extra work is an exercise in redundancy, but remember that not everyone has the same browser as you do, and different browsers might interpret things differently...the more exactly you spell out the content, the better the browser will be able to display it. Some common HTML omissions are:
 There are also some technical reasons why you should try to be fully HTML-compliant, as some browsers are more efficient when the proper HTML code is used. As an example, newer releases of Netscape and Microsoft browsers will insert placeholders for images if you have specified the HEIGHT and WIDTH tags (as the HTML standard specifies). This allows the browser to display the rest of the page even if the images have not fully loaded. Many people also browse without loading images (because of the faster download times)...this will allow you to reach those people as well. If you do decide to use browser-specific HTML attributes, make sure that your documents are fully backwards-compatible. If your web site is commercial, better HTML compliance guarantees that your site can be viewed by a larger audience of potential customers. Not all customers have graphical browsers, and in the near future, some may have browsers that haven't even hit the market yet. This makes it important to follow standards, because as a web developer, it is almost impossible to test your site on every browser...and the one person who visits your site with an outdated browser may just be your best client. |
