Rodent Regatta

>From the ReUSEIT! contest are these criteria:

The design must use valid tableless XHTML 1.0, CSS, and it must meet WAI Accessibility level 1. JavaScript, GIF, JPG and PNG images may be used. Server scripts, databases, and plug-in based media are not permitted. Designs containing animated GIFs and Flash are acceptable, but will face tough scrutiny to ensure that they are accessible.

Then, Tim Bray responds to Clay Shirky’s essay with his own set of thoughts.

I’m not a web designer or developer. I write a weblog and toy with learning things like standards, CSS-based design, XHTML and such. However, I can tell you that these debates are growing enormously confusing to those of us who don’t rub shoulders with the high muckety-mucks of the Internet.

I understand some of the rationale for not having a design built in HTML tables. I also understand the value of having a web site that is accessible to as many devices and browsers as possible. I can see the wisdom in separating style and content – if that is reality at all.

But, when the gitterati of the web can’t decide precisely what’s allowable (valid XHTML 1.0) and what’s not (server scripts, databases, and plug-in based media), it becomes difficult to write a weblog.

I feel like I’m trying to build a house here and the architects keep debating about whether I should be using 10 or 16-penny nails.