Datasheet

FUTURE-PROOF WEB DESIGN
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successfully forever, across new devices and emerging platforms, all while maintaining
compatibility with previous browsers and devices. In this book, I do my best to help you
head toward that goal, but as much as I’d like to guarantee that goal, I can’t, because the
Web is far too unpredictable.
By considering the variables in this book, you can better address the concerns that design-
ers of today’s sites deal with. Keep in mind that those variables will play an important role
in the Web’s future landscape. But who knows what’s on the horizon? In ten years, the
Web may change so drastically that designers will once again  nd themselves building
sites in new, unconventional ways. Perhaps a whole new range of variables will exist.
Ultimately, all you can do is use the information you have and make the most of it.
Myth #4: Validation ensures quality and compatibility
Many Web designers make the mistake of taking validation of code as a guarantee of stan-
dards, which is why you see so many of those “Valid” buttons embedded within so many
sites (see Figure 1-2). However, as you probably already know, you can have some of the
best-formed code and still see quirks and inconsistencies in how a site will render among
browsers and devices.  is isn’t to say that validation is useless because, for example,
knowing how to spot bugs that could lead to quirks is important.  ey just aren’t a silver
bullet for ensuring the stability of websites.
Figure 1-2: Validation buttons don’t guarantee the quality of code or impress average visitors.
Validation is a useful tool that can help identify common  aws and mistakes that design-
ers make when coding. Including validation in your work ow is useful, but it’s just a tool.
Don’t consider validation programs as an alternative to or replacement for testing your
work properly, and don’t assume that all validation programs work equally well.
Accessibility validators are notoriously bad at uncovering major failings in accessibility;
manual testing is the only safe option.
Myth #5: The newer, the better — the more, the merrier
Designers often get carried away in their bid to be creative, and more importantly, they
can be overly zealous about how much of a good thing their visitors will enjoy. In an e ort
to stay current, some designers revamp their sites regularly, when redesigning is clearly
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