Standards Compliant Websites

We love all the gadgets and tweaks. We love the pages with movies and sound. We love web pages that make us say, How'd they do that?

What we love most of all is a website that works regardless of what browser it's being viewed with (Internet Explorer, Opera, Firefox, Safari) or what type of operating system is in use (Windows, Mac, Unix) or what type of device it's being seen on (Monitor, Printer, Phone, Palm, Blackberry).

If your website is tested and found valid according to web standards, you can display these icons on your site:

In order to get a website that works well everywhere, you need to stick to a standards compliant website. HTML, XML, DOM, ECMA/Javascript? Sure; they're standards. Flash? You're probably OK to Version 8. Silverlight? Not a standard. Photosynth? Not a standard. You want a website that works the first time the audience comes to it. If they have to download a plug-in or update their browser, they're gone. And your website has a business purpose that requires keeping their attention for longer than 15 seconds.