Hi all,

What are the benefits of using the new XHTML 1.0 compared to HTML 4.01 specification? Currently my website is using HTML 4.01 Transitional doctype. Will it affects the current site layout if I change to XHTML 1.0? Meaning is my current theme layout and formating will behave differently after I change doctype.

Also, does this new format supports the older browsers like Netscape 2 and IE 3.02? Coz a lot of my users are still using old browsers.

I would appreciate if anyone can share some information on this with me.

Cheers,

What are the benefits of using the new XHTML 1.0 compared to HTML 4.01 specification?

None at all, and XHTML 1.0 is hardly new. And anybody still using 15 year old browsers will be used to sites looking strange!!

IF you are supporting Netscape 2 user you should NOT be coding to HTML4 specs HTML3.2 was the standard then.

Hi Chrishirst,

It looks like those who are still using the classic browsers don't have much choice but to upgrade their browser.

What about the compatibility viewing from a mobile phone? Is there another kind of doctype to support mobile browsing technology?

Cheers,

I don't think I would call NS2 and IE3 "classic". They were developed in an age when the the Internet was still primarily text.

They have gone beyond "classic" and moved into "antiquated"


You seem to be misunderstanding the purpose of a DTD. It is NOT to determine what types of devices can display the pages. It is to indicate the level and type of code that should be encountered in the document.

A "strict" DTD means that the specification is followed correctly and the document will contain no code that is deprecated from that specification. So the User Agent can use the exact Object Model when parsing and rendering the code
A "transitional" DTD means that the code may be in a state of "transition" from a lower or earlier specification and the User Agent should adopt the "loose" method of parsing and rendering the code.