Why should I validate CSS?

[spinal007]

Other than the obvious "to make sure I've got the syntax right", I don't see the point. I've just gone through lengths to make sure "non-standard" statements in my CSS files passed the W3C CSS validation. Then I came across some interesting articles on this issue.

One interesting example is the opacity rule. Although it's valid CSS3, some browsers (*cough* IE *cough*) don't support it as they should. Forcing me to do this...

Code: Select all

opacity: .9;  filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Alpha(style=0,opacity=90);

But why should I work around to hide the 'filter' rule when it's simply ignored by other browsers?
Why should the user be forced to download an additional stylesheet?
Why should I separate my code for different browsers when the idea of validation is that your code can be supported by most browsers?

I see the benefits of validating you HTML, but can someone explain why I should bother validating my CSS?

[Ryan Fait]

I do it because I'm anal. I just cheat the system and use JavaScript to write the rule. Lol

[VanessaJW]

If everybody coded their sites strictly to standard, with everything fully validated, then the browser makers would be forced to make browsers which complied more uniformly, making life so much easier for all web designers/developers. That's why I personally think it's just as important to validate the CSS as the HTML - for the greater good! Just my opinion. (You can remind me that I said this when I post my first site up for critique, complete with validation problems)

[spinal007]

Originally Posted by Ryan Fait

I do it because I'm anal. I just cheat the system and use JavaScript to write the rule. Lol

LOL, I use Javascript to insert all my "non-standard" CSS rules too...
BUT WHY??? I'm not gonna bother anymore... I'm gonna use opacity and filter as much as I want! :P

[Ryan Fait]

Hehe, I understand. If only browsers didn't suck.

[sannbe]

Originally Posted by Ryan Fait

Hehe, I understand. If only browsers didn't suck.

So we validate all our sites so they are absolutely perfect and force...yes...force browser bigwigs to get off rears and give us some better browsers...

[moojoo]

This won't validate but works, sometimes you just have to eat an error.

Code: Select all

filter:alpha(opacity=80);
-moz-opacity:.80;
opacity:.80;

[spinal007]

Originally Posted by moojoo

This won't validate but works, sometimes you just have to eat an error.

Code: Select all

filter:alpha(opacity=80);
-moz-opacity:.80;
opacity:.80;

opacity/filter is exactly what I'm talking about. It's valid CSS3. Stuff the W3C validation, it works cross-browser and I'm sticking to it!

[moojoo]

well filter is for IE, opacity for everything else. Really if you think about it IE should be updated to the correct opacity handler =)

[spinal007]

But then, what about FF's "-moz-property".
I've got to admit I'm guilty of this one. It's invalid CSS, but soooo handy...
input{ -moz-border-radius:3px }

[moojoo]

css 3 also has corner-radius ugh.. heh. Maybe in 10 years.

[Ryan Fait]

Maybe in ten years Apple will have taken over the world and had every PC and copy of Windows destroyed. That would be nice.

[daygon]

Isnt IE Microsoft? Theres your problem. I hate pc now that ive switched to mac. I wish everone had the money to afford a mac to experience true beauty. We love you Steve Jobs!

[moojoo]

heh, haha, tee hee. Woo! I think one rendering engine should be used. Gecko while good is a bloated beast, IE's engine is bleh, Opera's engine is good but still different from gecko and KHTML, KHTML is good but the same. Heck even different OS X browsers even though mostly they use Webkit display things differently, i.e. Omniweb vs Safari (Although Omniweb is uber fast and pretty.)