About DOGME 00

There is a small but significant group of people who believe that the Web is being decimated by progress. So much so that a plan has been drawn up - DOGME 00, the Vow of Web Chastity.

Some of the points in this are valid. Others less so. Here we present the whole document, with comments.

1. All pages must be validated as error-free by http://validator.w3.org/ prior to publication.

Definately. Although this isn't always possible, as certain browsers use their own tags to acheive the same effect. For example, Netscape uses the marginwidgh and marginheight attributes on the body tag, where Internet Explorer uses leftmargin and topmargin - and Acorn Browse doesn't support this attribute at all. Background images in tables, either in the whole table or the individual cell, also aren't part of the W3C standard, but are supported by a number of browsers. It's possible to create many effects using CSS, but Netscape 4's CSS support is limited.

With server-side scripting, it is possible to determine what browser is being used to view the site, and insert the correct browser-specific tags where appropriate. This is strongly recommended.

Revised version: Page content should be validated by the W3C validator. If browser specific tags or unofficial extensions cause a validation failure, rewrite that particular effect using CSS. Your CSS must also be validated.

2. Sound must never be produced. Links to sound/music files are acceptable, but they must never be auto-started by the browser on my behalf.

For the majority of sites this is true. However, there are exceptions. For example, electronic greeting card sites benefit greatly from a MIDI file playing when the recipient views their card. “Fun” sites in general can get away with, and even benefit by, the use of sound. It depends entirely on the target audience.

3. HTML must be written by hand. "WYSIWYG" editors must not be used (if I find a certain effect impossible without it, the effect is not allowed).

Absolutely yes. With one exception, every WSYIWYG HTML editor we've ever seen produces a tangled mass of unreadable code, and instantly destroys your hand-coded HTML the second you load it in. The only exception is Dreamweaver, which tends not to mess with pre-existing code, however the code it produces is still less than perfect.

If you find a certain effect impossible without a visual editor, you need to go back and learn advanced HTML.

Everything on this web site (and all other sites that Squirrel Solutions produce) is hand-coded - no exceptions.

4. Pictures are not allowed where the same content could be conveyed with a short piece of text (e.g. a picture of the word "Back" is strictly forbidden).

Untrue. Text can be easy to overlook, and sometimes doesn't look appropriate for the overall design of the site. A small graphic with the word Back and an arrow, for example, is far easier to use. The brain associates symbols with actions far more easily than it does words.

As long as your image has an alt tag with some descriptive text in it, eg "Click here to go back", there shouldn't be a problem with this. But remember that most "graphic" effects can actually be achieved with CSS.

5. Frames, VBScript, and JavaScript is forbidden. Style sheets are allowed as long as it is not assumed they will be obeyed.

Frames can actually be useful, when used properly. The reason frames have a bad reputation is because most of the time they are used inappropriately, and the designer doesn't provide a no-frames alternative. But appropriate use of Frames is rare.

VBScript is a propriatary scripting language from Microsoft, and is only supported by Internet Explorer. It should therefore not be used, and in fact very few sites do actually use it. VBScript's place is on the server, for writing ASP (Active Server Pages) scripts. It's reasonably powerful, but unpleasant to use, and falls far behind PHP in terms of useablility and ease of development.

JavaScript on the other hand is very useful. Rollover images are the simplest use, and having an image "light up" when the user moves the mouse over it makes it much easier to use the site (the brain registers that this image has lit up, so clicking here must do something). Client-side form validation is also a legitimate use for Javascript, where the browser itself actually validates the HTML form before sending it. Of course server-side validation is still needed, but using client-side greatly reduces the loading on the server, particularly on a large form where some fields may be missed.

JavaScript should never be used for navigation, as it effectively locks out any browser that doesn't support it. Many big commercial sites have JavaScript redirects on their front page, effectively blocking many users - and search engines. Using Javascript to mess with the browser's status bar is very bad, and should never be done.

Style sheets should be used always and often - but with fallback. CSS was one of the better recent ideas for web development. It's possible to emulate CSS support to a degree with server-side scripting, so if the user's browser is not known to support CSS, the script inserts the appropriate formatting tags into the page.

Revised version: Frames may be used if (and only if) appropriate. Client-side VBScript is forbidden. Javascript may be used where appropriate, provided it does not affect the functionality of the site when unsupported. CSS should be used for all formatting, but with fallback for older browsers.

6. The page must not contain superficial content (Animating GIFs, attempts at layout using small images etc. must not occur).

Animated GIFs are annoying. Very occasionally they can be useful, but most of the time they aren't. Anyone attempting to affect the layout with small images, especially scaled transparent GIFs, needs to be taken out the back and shot repeatedly.

7. Viewer alienation is forbidden. That is to say, I will not assume my user is using any particular (set of) browser(s) on any particular platform.

Absolutely yes. Even if you need to use a feature specific to a particular browser, there's no excuse to lock out users with other browsers. Use server-side scripting (such as PHP or ASP) to insert the appropriate tags depending on the browser.

8. I will not require the use of cookies.

Unfortunately cookies have gotten themselves an ill-deserved bad reputation. A cookie is simply a small piece of data stored somewhere on your computer, which identifies you to the site when you return. There is no other simple way of retaining user preferences etc between page fetches.

Simply viewing a site shouldn't require cookies, but anything with an account based system such as this site requires cookies to be enabled before you can log in.

There is a great deal of scaremongering going on regarding cookies, and this needs to be laid to rest as soon as possible.

9. The page format must not be fixed. Layout beyond the spirit of HTML (simple alignment) is forbidden. Tables may be used for data which is tabular by nature, but not for attempts at layout.

Again, untrue. What is forbidden is designing a page for a particular resolution. Designers using Windows often assume incorrectly that everyone runs their web browser "maximised" (Windows-speak for taking over the whole screen). This is untrue, users on other platforms rarely run applications maximised, including web browsers. Just because the user is in, say, 800x600, doesn't mean the browser is going to be that size. So never use a fixed width for the page (sometimes known as "frozen") - it's one of the top Web annoyances, as you either end up with excess white space or sideways scrolling.

Using tables for layout is no problem, provided the width is specified as a percentage, not in pixels. If you have say a menu bar down one side of the page, specify the width of the cell containing the bar in pixels, with the overall width as a percentage. That way the page will reformat itself correctly when the browser window is resized (sometimes referred to as a "liquid" layout). For example, try resizing this window, and watch the menubar stay the same width while this part of the page reflows automatically.

10. The page designer must not be credited.

Yes they should, but discretely. A small link on the "About us" page saying "Designed by xxx" for example (inside <small> tags) is acceptable. Some people have to make a living from designing web sites, and it's only fair that they should be credited for their work.

Furthermore I swear as a page designer to refrain from personal taste! I am not an artist. I swear to refrain from making a "work", as I regard the viewer's preferences as more important than my attempts at layout. My supreme goal is to force the truth out of my available content. I swear to do so by all the means available and at the cost of any good taste and any aesthetic considerations.

Some of this is valid. The most important thing on any web page is content. However, design is still important. Never sacrifice content over design, but on the other hand nobody wants to look at boring black-on-white text with no formatting, no colour and no interest any more. In fact the only thing much displayed like that these days are error messages - so using a boring page layout may make users think there's been an error.

Many years ago, the web was about information. Nowadays the web is about information, entertainment and business. People are expecting more. The DOGME 00 document raises some interesting points, some of which are very valid. Others are less so. Like anything else, the Web has to evolve or become extinct.