Is tables are neccessary for good Layout?

Dear Guys

Is tables are neccessary for good Layout? I am confused so I want to know is it neccessary to use table to control the Layout? without using much table is possible to design a good layout?

 

Tables are not necessary, in fact they are discouraged for layouts. Today, well designed sites use CSS for layouts.

 

I'm sorry my reply is off topic (although I'm with luckybee that tables shouldn't be used for layout purposes) but I couldn't resist.. "is our children learning?.." Lol.

 

Tables are "ok" when you're dealing with tabulated data, but as it's already been mentioned, it's generally better to have a design that does not use tables. However, you can still have a well formatted, standards compliant design that uses tables. It really depends on your content and what you're trying to achieve.

 

There more than "ok". They are the only tool for the job.

I agree with all of above though.

 

Actually that's incorrect. It's possible to format traditional "tabulated data" in some instances, without actually using tables. Either way would be absolutely fine.

 

Divs are also a good tool for the job, so no their not the only tool or else my sites layout wouldn't be possible.

 

Why would you markup tabular data with any other tag other than <table>. Yes you can, but it makes no sense to do so.

I wasn't talking about layouts. We were discussing tabular data.

 

Sure it does. Mainly for correct visual continuity to a wider array of browsers. However, as I've said, using tables for tabular data is fine, if it's truly needed.

No, however diam26's initial post was referring to layouts.

 

Div are mostly used these days but you can also use tables with divs it not getting your desired results..

 

u will have many problems with table. css is the best way to design website

 

Tables are very old use of HTML. New XHTML CSS sites use tableless hand coded design

 

Use tables for what they are supposed to do just like you do with everything else...

 

A few years ago I favored tables, however now days I've noticed the advantages of divs. Tables are easy to set up, their also easy to get inline content like images and content to line up with each other.

The reason why I switched from tables to divs is that divs are more flexible, they're quicker to load, and until they come up with something groovy in HTML 5 or XHTML 1.1... they're the best thing to use for a layout.

 

I tend to use css for the general layout and use some tables inside of <div> tags for some of the content.

 

I can envision very few situations where you would semantically use divs + tables for tabular data.

 

Stick with using divs and css.

 

With DIVs you can make everything and we all should merge our designs towards them...But I know very good sites in the top of google serp built on tables...its all about browser compatibility....

 

So, you mean Divs is better then CSS cols?

 

You can use CSS for tables as well as divs. However, divs are more flexible in terms of overlapping and that type of stuff. Divs are the more reasonable tool for the job. If you want to space two divs 70 pixels apart then you just add a margin. If you want to space two table cells 70 pixles apart the rest of the cells below and above, right or left become altered. As a result you would have to create news tables, which would just add useless markup and a longer loading time. Using divs is simple, easy and flexible.