Gunlaug Sørtun wrote: > Makes sense, but you're confusing "Transitional" vs. "Strict" doctypes > with browsers' layout modes. > > See "doctypes and layout modes... > <http://gutfeldt.ch/matthias/articles/doctypeswitch/table.html> > ...and notice that there are only two modes - "quirk" and "standard". > > This doctype (used by original poster)... > <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> > ...triggers *quirks mode*. > [snip] > > "Strict" _is_ "standard". > "Transitional" is a slightly less "strict" variant of "standard", where > a few non-standard elements are allowed. > > Some browsers also treat "Transitional" slightly different on a few > points - an "almost standard" mode invented for/by Mozilla. > > Note that IE/win doesn't have an "almost standard" mode at all - it's > either "standard" for both "Transitional" and "Strict" doctypes, or > "quirks" for "recognizable non-standard" doctypes. > > "Unrecognized" doctypes with a minimal set of recognizable parts, shall > trigger "standard" layout mode in all browsers - which is why new > doctypes can be added and a simple <!DOCTYPE HTML> will trigger > "standard" mode. See 'HTML 5'...
Thanks, Georg. While on some level, I was aware that these two things refer to different mechanisms, I'm also of the understanding that they are intrinsically linked, even if only because IE's quirks mode switch is contingent on the doctype. That being said, I'm also the guy who doesn't use speed dial on his cell phone, allows his browser to retain no passwords and who prefers vehicles with manual transmissions. Strict, in many senses, just makes sense to me. There's either rules, or there aren't. It makes me nervous to depend on a browser or a validator or an operating system (ahem Windows) to say 'Ohhhh, all right...I'll fudge it a little here,' which is my basic understanding of what transitional means. I also have had little to no trouble just using Strict Doctypes, so I am sort of out of the loop on the purpose or need for Transitional. In any event, your clarification is helpful, in spite of my desire to write back and say 'Oh, I knew THAT,' which of course, I didn't really. I'm still kinda diggin' Strict mode, so I'll probably continue with that anyway, seeing no data here which would encourage me in a different direction. Thanks again and always for your insight. Bill ______________________________________________________________________ css-discuss [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.css-discuss.org/mailman/listinfo/css-d List wiki/FAQ -- http://css-discuss.incutio.com/ List policies -- http://css-discuss.org/policies.html Supported by evolt.org -- http://www.evolt.org/help_support_evolt/
