MeyerBros

things we think

validation

2 Responses to “validation”

1. michelle Says:
   

   May 1st, 2006 at 9:58 pm

   I can’t leave a comment on the “eric’s treatise” page, so I’ll leave it here.

   eric: the way you describe web design sounds a lot like directing a play. is that true?

2. eric Says:
   

   May 1st, 2006 at 10:53 pm

   yes. i had never thought of it, and it’s more a combination of writing and directing for theatre, so here’s how i would play out the analogy:

   XHTML is the dialogue, the core of the script. you have an idea in mind about what you want it to say, and you try to make that come through as clearly as possible on the page. you know it will eventually be styled/produced, which you will have less controll over, so the text needs to stand on it’s own while being producable and (often preferably in my mind) flexible enough to be produced multiple ways.

   CSS is either the stage directions or it’s the production - depending on how you look at it. it’s your vision for a final presentation. like stage directions, you try to give a final style with the knowledge that any director can ignore and override your decisions at any time. you are writing suggestions. at the same time, you are putting on your own production of your XHTML script - something that others can view as a completed work - and you rehearse/debug it until you are happy with the way it looks in every browser you care about.

   from there it’s out of your hands. anyone can choose to look at it the way you would like or not. you hope your stage directions at least form a guidline so their changes remain within your vision. at the same time, you get the excitment of “re-producing” your own work as often as you want.