What is W3C?

Updated April 14th, 2007

W3C® stands for the "World Wide Web Consortium". This consortium is the group that establishes standards by which Internet related programs should be programmed so that people can use almost any computer and developers can use whatever code used for delivering web content they prefer. This way web pages will be delivered to web browsers with a consistent appearance. Some program developers stick to this standard and some do not. MS Internet Explorer™ is one of those browsers that historically does not. The link provided by clicking on MS Internet Explorer™ also has a table of 24 tests used to test cascading style sheets or css formatting. MSIE™ fails all of them and Firefox™ passes all of them. The Opera™ browser passes all, but two. Netscape™ 7.0 passes all, but four. Note: (At the time of this writing Netscape is now on version 8.1 and now may pass all of the tests.) There are other browsers that pass most of the tests as well. Firerfox™ is the only one that passes all of them at the time of this writing.

CSS is replacing older methods of fomatting a web page such as the <font></font> tags. Once a tag is deprecated, browser developers stop writing support for these tags in newer versions of their browsers. This is why it is so important to not only develope web browsers according to standards, but to also write web sites according to those same standards.

Update: We have written some workarounds that have the dropdown menus rendering correctly in IE versions 6.0 and 7.0. Those of you who have been unable to use our site should have no problem now.

It seems the developers of IE™ try to make their browser do things that others do not, so that users might be more tempted to use IE™ instead of a competitor. The problem is, it tends to only work better than other browsers when the pages being delivered are written with a Microsoft program. You will notice that some sites will state, "Best view with Internet Explorer 6.0™". Less than half of sites on the net are developed with a Microsoft program. As a matter of fact, this site was developed one line of code at a time. We do use the Bluefish™ editor, because it does color code different types of code and automagically ads the closing tag when typing an opening tag while writing any form of html.

You will note a logo that links to the W3C™ validation site for xhtml on the right of every page. If you click on that link, it will validate the page that you are currently viewing. Of course, it will be the same css file formatting every page, because one css file is used to format all of the pages. Some sites use multiple css files, but we like to have one great-big-combersome-takes-lot's-of-looking-for-something-to-change-it css file. Actually, however big ours is, it is not as big as others, but that is probably only because I know less than they do about css.

So, for the best view of this site and many others, download a free copy of FireFox™ or the Opera™ Browserand enjoy the ride.

Opera™ Software has a free version. It is an excellent browser that I frequently use myself on my Linux box. It renders the site correctly in every aspect as Firefox™ does. I find that I am using the Opera borowser more on my Linux box, because it does not have issues with finding the Java runtime envirnoment or the Macromeda™ plugins like Firefox™ does.

Netscape™ is an excellent browser and it presents the pages layout exactly as it should. Of course, Netscape™ and Firefox™ are both built on the Mozilla™ engine so this is expected. Since AOL™ owns Netscape™, I believe their browser is also built on the Mozilla™ engine as well, so those using AOL™ should not have the problems occurring with Internet Explorer™. The only problem we have incurred with Netscape™ is Netscape™ is sending the second level dropdown menu horizontal instead of vertical.(Fixed April 14th, 2007. Renders correctly in version 8.1.3) So, if you are using Netscape™ and the second level menu is running out horizontally, it is not supposed to. You can get around trying to click on a second level menu iten by clicking on the parent menu item and navigating to the items on the second level menu through the page your will get to by clickning on the parent item on the first level drop dwon menu. It still functions as it should otherwise. An added plus to Netscape™ is it also hs some pretty awesome security features. It also includes a built in spyware and adware scanning and removal module negating the need to have additional software perform this task.