Doctypes, IE6, scrolling content

[matelot]

This is a multipart single query for your perusal.

I've about settled on 4.01 Strict as opposed to XHTML 1.0 Strict as a Doctype. However, rendering IE6 in quirks mode also affects IE7 in 4.01, but in 1.0 Strict, using the prolog puts IE6 into quirks, but leaves IE7 alone. At least that's how I understand it after several hours researching the subject (and now my head is done in!)

So why do I want IE6 in quirks mode? Well, although some advocate leaving it there with the rest of the IE rubbish on the grounds that it renders sites better in quirks mode than standard, I have an issue with a footer fixed to the bottom of the viewport, and scrolling content.

In order to keep the footer in view at all times, even with scrolling content, IE6 has to be in quirks mode. All the examples I could find over several days have shown IE in quirks to achieve this.

The other school of thought is not to pander to IE, and work everything out as far as possible in standards mode, with as few hacks as possible. (For the sake of this exercise, I don't want to use Java either.)

So, is it possible to have a fixed footer (not a disappearing 'sticky' footer) with scrolling content, IE6 in standard mode, and without js?

Many thanks.