Using JavaScript for basic HTML layout
- by Slobaum
I've been doing HTML layout as well as programming for many years and I'm seeing a growing issue recently. Folks who primarily do HTML layout are becoming increasingly more comfortable using JavaScript to solve basic page layout problems. Rather than consider what HTML is capable of doing (to hit their target browsers), they're slapping on bloated JS frameworks that "fix" fairly basic problems.
Let's get this out of the way right here: I find this practice annoying and often inconsiderate of those with special accessibility needs.
Unfortunately, when you try to tell these folks that what they're doing isn't semantic, ideal, or possibly even a good idea, they always counter with the same old arguments: "JavaScript has a market saturation of 98%, we don't care about the other 2%." or "Who doesn't have JavaScript enabled these days?" or simply "We don't care about those users." I find that remarkably short-sighted.
I would really like the opinion of the community at large. What do you think, am I holding too fast to a dying ideal? I am willing to accept that, but would like to be given good arguments as to why I should disregard 2%+ of my user base (among others). Is JavaScript's prevalence a good excuse to use a programmatic language to do basic layout, thus mucking up your behavior and layout? jQuery and similar "behavior" based frameworks are blurring the lines, especially for those who don't realize the difference.
Honestly (and probably most importantly), I would like some "argument ammo" to use against these folks when the "it's the right way to do it" argument is unacceptable. Can you cite sources outlining your stance, please?
Thanks everybody, please be civil :)
