HTML versus a "Netscape Driver."

Straight HTML

This is a regular html paragraph, following a couple of regular html headings. The width of the text of this paragraph depends on the width of your browser window. If your browser is full screen, each line of this paragraph is very wide -- too wide to read comfortably.

The other major complaint about straight html in Netscape is that there is lot of vertical whitespace -- too much. It is completely out of control of the designer of a website.

Try adjusting the width of your browser window. Notice the readability of the text at different sizes. Also notice the vertical white space.

The Netscape Driver The two headings above, and the next few paragraphs are "hacked." They do not use the html structure markup codes. Some people complain vehemently about this kind of website. The advantage is that the designer controls the width of the text and the vertical spacing. I agree that it looks better, and is easier to read. The difference is that this looks really bad with some browsers. We're dealing with computers and information, not skyscrapers. With good design, consistent discipline, and some programming, we can maintain two versions of the same information side-by-side on the server. The 70% Netscape and compatible browser users get something that looks darned good. Others get something much plainer, but they can still get at the information.

© 1995 by John Robert Boynton

Last update: October 22, 1995.