Hello, I checked my website using the automatic 'Validator' at http://validator.w3.org as you instructed and indeed it detected and listed a large number of flaws in my programming. Quite frightening to think that the whole site is messed up and needs redoing and that I'll have to fire my webmaster who I really liked.
I thought I would try to see what would happen if I checked the websites of other people on the Sundial List and to my horror I found out that everybody's websites are all screwed up according to the "validator". Tony Moss's and John Davis's websites are so full of errors that it's a wonder anyone can open them. I bet they get complaints all the time from people who can't open their sites. Funny though, I was able to open Tony and John's sites with no problem at all. And another funny thing happened. When I typed in validator's own URL and asked it to validate its OWN site, http://validator.w3.org, it wouldn't do it! In all seriousness, I don't have any confidence in the automatic 'Validator' and it's Seal of Approval and I'm sorry I forwarded your letter to my webmaster. Poor guy has been reading all the helpful emails from you guys and working real hard to change all the PDFs and doesn't need this added distraction. John John L. Carmichael Jr. Sundial Sculptures 925 E. Foothills Dr. Tucson Arizona 85718 USA Tel: 520-696-1709 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: <http://www.sundialsculptures.com> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mr. D. Hunt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de> Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 6:20 AM Subject: Re: My New Website > > On Monday 6 Jan 2003 (19:07:38), [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > Yes, we've thought of that and many other possible causes. The > > variables are endless (slow processors, bad internet servers, bad > > browsers, old programs, etc.) In any case, if people can't download > > PDFs from websites because they have old programs or for some other > > reason then that is unacceptable. I want everybody who logs on to be > > able to download without problems. That means I have to do things the > > old traditional way. > > > If you want your Website to be accessible to everyone (using any 'flavour' > of computer system or Browser), then you must ensure that all the pages of > your site comply with the internationally-agreed "W3C" standards for HTML. > > I have only checked the 'index' page of your site - but unfortunately this > (and presumably all other pages) do NOT comply with these standards, which > is probably why a number of people are experiencing some problems with it. > > If your Website causes any kind of problem for a visitor, then the chances > are that they would remember it as 'troublesome' - and not visit it again. > In addition, they might even tell other people to avoid visiting the site. > > I will not embarrass you (or your 'webmaster') by publicly quoting all the > extensive range of faults here - since you (or indeed anyone) can check it > for themselves, using the automatic 'Validator' at http://validator.w3.org > which will quickly return a helpful 'report' on any Website URL you input. > > When you have checked it out, then I would recommend that you get together > with your 'webmaster' and ask them to make sure that all the pages of your > site fully comply with these "W3C" standards. If they can't (or won't) do > that, then you should be looking for an alternative 'webmaster' who will ! > Any competent web-designer should automatically include compliance as part > of their overall 'package', and you should insist on this in any contract. > > Apart from anything else, if your Website pages DO fully comply with these > standards, then you are entitled to put the "W3C" tick-mark 'logo' on your > Website - which lets all visitors know that they should not experience any > problems with the pages, regardless of the computer or Browser being used. > As an example, you will see this logo on the opening page of our own site. > > This message is not intended as any 'criticism' of John's site, but merely > to point-out that the standards exist for a reason - and if anyone decides > to ignore these, then they can expect varying degrees of 'complaints' from > visitors to the site, so it is much better to be "safe rather than sorry". > > Best Regards, > > Douglas Hunt. > > -- > > "MODERN SUNCLOCKS" - 'Human Sundials', using YOUR OWN SHADOW to tell time. > > Looking for a useful, decorative, yet UNIQUE feature ? - you've found it ! > For further details and photographs, see our Website at: www.sunclocks.com > > Mail Address: 1 Love Street, Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland, KA13 7LQ, UK. > Tel & Fax (UK): 01294 552250. International Tel & Fax: + 44 1294 552250. > E-mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > - > -
