Designing with Web Standards, Third Edition

Chapter Six: XHTML and Semantic Markup

I could have titled this chapter, “XHTML: Simple Rules, Easy Guidelines.” For one thing, the rules and guidelines discussed in this chapter are simple and easy. For another, “simple” and “easy” are to web design books what “new!” and “free!” are to supermarket packaging—namely, hackneyed but effective attention-getting devices that stimulate interest and encourage trial.

And I certainly want to stimulate interest in and encourage trial of this chapter. Why? Because after you’ve grasped the simple, easy ideas it contains, you’ll rethink the way web pages work—and begin changing the way you build them. And I don’t mean you’ll write this year’s tags instead of last year’s tags. I mean you’ll genuinely ...