Re: DOCBOOK-APPS: Is it time to rely on CSS?

[Adam DiCarlo <adam@onshored.com>]

Bob Stayton <bobs@caldera.com> writes:

> On Mon, Jan 20, 2003 at 01:21:43PM -0500, Norman Walsh wrote:
> > Is it time to move that line farther out, removing things that could
> > be done with CSS and just expecting CSS to be used?
> 
> I think this is ok.

I would also agree.  I would say CSS1 and much of CSS2 is ok to use.
Probably CSS1 has everything you want to do in it?

> I'm concerned about the transition.  If we are expecting CSS to be
> used, would we supply a basic CSS stylesheet that implements these
> changes and gives people the framework for customizing?  Otherwise
> we will probably get complaints about things that formerly worked
> being broken.

I would suggest the generated CSS should have inline document-level
CSS providing the default.  This goes in the HTML heading.  Authors
can override this with an external CSS stylesheet.

Benefits:

- the external stylesheet can override just those bits of
  style the document author wants to override, and not have to carry
  around all the default styling

- more standalone: for poeple who are fine with the default style,
  there's one less file to worry about (the external stylesheet)

Downsides:

- bigger HTML files?  redundant CSS default in each HTML file in the
  chunked context...

> Also, I think we had better stick to CSS1.  I've found CSS2
> conformance to be very inconsistent among browsers.
> Unfortunately, that's where the table stuff is.

I agree.  Lets stick to CSS1 for now and move to CSS2 later as needed.
Walk before you run.

-- 
...Adam Di Carlo..<adam@onshore-devel.com>...<URL:http://www.onshored.com/>