Tables - Good Or Bad?

[NetworkTown.Net]

Hi

I want to know what you think, if tables a good thing to use or not?

I am thinking of using tables in side tables aswell. Please make your vote it would help.

Thank you

 

[Phrozt]

Good programmers use CSS.... .Net programmers use tables...

it all depends on what you want. If you want dynamic looking imagery on your site.. go with CSS. If you want a very template looking site, or don't really care how it looks at all, use tables... they are very easy.

If you want some examples of a good "CSSed" site, let me know and I'll post some.

 

[NetworkTown.Net]

Hmm is css harder to code? do you have an example of a code that css would use to make it like a table? i know basic css but not an expert at it.

 

[Tree]

Tables are meant for, and are good at, displaying tabular data. Not for layout construction.

 

[NetworkTown.Net]

Also this is going to be for s template system that users will edit to customize there site so which one would be easy for them

I have been asking around and i think by the looks of tables are better, since css (tableless) coded sites are harder to edit.

 

[Jim_]

All the cool kids use CSS for everything and only rely on tables for tabular data.


It's easier to use tables when designing and they're supported by just about every browser, but they it can get complicated and hard to interpret and edit when you start having tables within tables.

CSS is a bit more difficult to get used to and you'll have to work out a few compatibility issues, but it's much easier to read and edit later on. No mess of <tr> and <td> tags to decipher later on.

Anyway, my vote goes for CSS.

 

[NetworkTown.Net]

All the cool kids use CSS for everything and only rely on tables for tabular data.


It's easier to use tables when designing and they're supported by just about every browser, but they it can get complicated and hard to interpret and edit when you start having tables within tables.

CSS is a bit more difficult to get used to and you'll have to work out a few compatibility issues, but it's much easier to read and edit later on. No mess of <tr> and <td> tags to decipher later on.

Anyway, my vote goes for CSS. Make a complex design using tables, leave it for a week, and see if you can look at it and edit it easily without accidentally ruining half of the tables.

Thank you so much for your comment i will use tables for now then when i get the hang of css ill change it into css right now im testing diffrent ways of css soon ill get the hang of it and change tables into css.

 

[Phrozt]

Tables are good for tabular data.. I won't argue with that, and I'll give an example that uses CSS and tables.

Tables are not good for design. Some sites do have a VERY nice design with tables, but it's not for all site ( http://www.worldofwarcraft.com = very good table designed site... but then again, that's how all of blizzard's sites are).

Here's a straight CSS design... notice how I use CSS to make the form look like it's a table:
http://www.fixmyspeaker.com/services.asp
(css file: http://www.fixmyspeaker.com/_lib/main.css )

Here's a mixed CSS/table design. CSS for layout, tables for data:
http://www.dickey-john.com/
http://www.dickey-john.com/pressroom/

The CSS for the above site is pretty intense and includes different files based on the page viewed (different ones for the index)

If you have questions about either, feel free to ask.. I constructed both.

 

[netzilla]

It has been proven that sites that are designed using tables, especially multiple nested tables, does not index into a search engine as well as a table-less website. Get to know CSS...its the present and the future.

 

[Barrucadu]

I'm tending not to use tables for layout, but they still have their uses.

 

[AndrewR]

Tables should ONLY be used for tabular data, as thats what they were made for. They were never designed for layouts or structuring a layout, and are all around horrible as they load twice, once for structure, the other for content.

So, it could go either way, depending on your purposes, but mostly they are bad.

 

[abcde]

i use them both...

 

[stscac]

tables are for tabular data

-Steve

 

[Noobie]

tables are easier ... divs are more efficient ...
I've yet to complete a website that's 100% css based, maybe 90%
I end up getting frustrasted and just stick some data in tables.
It's not because CSS sux, I've just yet to master it.
SO div/css > tables

 

[yeppers]

Only reason I chose "good" was to even up the poll... lol j/k

Well imo tables are much easier to use and manage than using css, but, tables can result in bad loading of the page. i.e. while the page is loading it can be totally messed up, all over the place. I believe you can overcome that by using css.

Just my 2c.

 

[dojo]

I use CSS for the text, links, backgrounds but tables for the overall design. When you have so many images and graphics working this only in CSS is hard. not to mention that with tables any browser kinda knows how to display the site

 

[Dan]

Tables are meant for, and are good at, displaying tabular data. Not for layout construction.

Tables are good for tabular data..

Tables should ONLY be used for tabular data, as thats what they were made for.

tables are for tabular data

:sold:

 

[apexad]

Tables are meant for, and are good at, displaying tabular data. Not for layout construction.

Tables are good for tabular data..

Tables should ONLY be used for tabular data, as thats what they were made for.

tables are for tabular data

:sold:

I agree ... my vote was for bad, and it's currently good 6 bad 11, so indeed it's about 66% who say bad, for the reason stated above.