[compute] RE: [Sigia-l] Web Standards and I.A.s

[PTrebukov at SpencerStuart.com]

   Tom,
     
     It was very interesting and helpful discussion (I hope not only for
me).
     So, lets try.

Thanks, 
Pavel Trebukov



-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Trottier [mailto:tOM at Abacurial.com] 
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 3:07 PM
To: sigia-l at asis.org; Trebukov, Pavel
Subject: RE: [compute] RE: [Sigia-l] Web Standards and I.A.s


On Monday, April 12, 2004 at 13:08,  <PTrebukov at SpencerStuart.com>
wrote:

>  Tom,
> 
>    Let me clarify some points (sorry, my explanations weren't clear 
> enough).
> 
>    1.  Spec for each page should include section dedicated to IA 
>        needs so developers will use your classes no matter what.....

All pages should have a standard set of CSS files to incorporate, 
starting with the IA names and corporate standards. Then developers 
have a particular base to use and adapt via overrides.

>        Each page where you are going to use IA-classes.
>        Reason: 
>         It's possible that IA-class is not necessary to provide 
> required presentation at all
>         or exists another class (not related to IA) with the same 
> styles.
>         In these cases developer should be instructed how to use (or 
> not to use) IA-class.
>         Probably the best place to do this is specification.

This can also be comments in the CSS file.

>       You can create all IA-classes without styles at all (empty) but 
> even in this case
>       using of IA-classes could require extra care.
> 
>       Possible situation: absolute positioning. All coordinates (top,
> left) calculated from
>       parent element. So, if it's necessary to enclose content part in

> extra <div class = "IA-class1">
>       developer probably will have to adjust some positioning settings

> for other elements.
>       If extra element is not necessary you can use IA-class as second

> class (<div class = "regular-class IA-class1">).
>       But in both situations developer must know what to do with each 
> portion of the page related to each type of content.

It depends on which attributes you want to set for the CSS. I doubt if 
position is one of them. You can nest DIVs and SPANs as needed, or use 
CLASS on other HTML tags.

>    2. How to check proper usage of IA classes during the development, 
> testing and maintenance.
> 
>       There is no easy way to define how correctly or incorrectly 
> IA-classes are used.
>       If article displayed on the blue background and it's correct how

> would you know if IA-class used improperly (or not used at all)?

Two steps. After checking to see whether the display corresponds to the 
spec, just change the attributes (via an override or substitute CSS 
file?)  and see the changes in the displayed page. 

I think some software will trace and display the source for display 
attributes in CSS.

>       Are you always going to make extra functionality based on 
> IA-classes' names (so something will be visibly broken)?

My objective is just a consistent display of data so it is easier for 
users to recognise.

>       You have to check HTML (or other) codes, run validatiors (if 
> such validators exist), probably do something else.

Standard procedure, I should hope..
 
>    All these tasks (see above and below) will require extra time and 
> extra efforts.

Hardly "extra". Standard checking through QA and walkthrus, with 
deviations indicated and justified. .

>    Wll result be reliable enough ?

Best efforts. Perfection is a direction more than an achievable state.
 
tOM

> Pavel Trebukov


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