Are tables really dead? Will they ever be dead?

Please note that this thread is not meant to hurt anyone and nor has it been started to spark controversy but just something that bothers me.

People who use css advocate that tables are dead. But isn't it true that most well known websites such as about.com still combine css and tables? Is it also not true that if you use tables for layout you get a much more consistent look in different browsers as opposed to css?

Keeping these facts in mind is it fair to say that tables are dead? And will tables ever be dead? Won't you always have designers who will look for a shortcut and use tables for layout to get a consistent look in as little time as possible?

 

No, thats not true anymore. Modern browsers support for CSS is at a level where you can get great looking sites consistently display cross browser.

However, whilst CSS support is good, its not perfect, and some aspects are treated differently/incorrectly by certain browsers (yes, IE, im looking at you) .

With a little practice, you understand the potential trouble spots before they arise, and code accordingly. It can be frustrating, but when you get it, youll be glad you put the effort in.

 

I moved from the tables to CSS two years ago, now I could never go back.

Its always difficult to move skills but it is worth the effort.

Tables will still live for a bit longer, but new designers will be taught css so overtime tables will stop being used for design.

 

No. Tables will continue to be an integral part of HTML. As Katy said in post number 2, They are for tabular data.

 

Tables can't be date. It's just that the tables have been mis used. Tables are made and should be used for tabular data, there for, tables can't be dead.

 

If I'm putting up an excel spreadsheet on a webpage, guess what I'm using...

and even outside of what is 'obviously' tabular data there are three cirumstances in which a table beats a DIV layout.

1) Vertical positioning of dynamic height content other than 'top'. Try aligning dynamic height content centered vertically to another dynamic column - DIV can't do that. (at least, not without .js getting involved)

2) When faux columns won't 'cut it' without too many hacks and more code than using a table in the first place. Contrary to popular opinion tables are quite often LESS code than DIV layouts once you start using CSS to style them, STOP USING THAT 'cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0' RUBBISH and realize that table-layout:fixed removes a LOT of that 'rendering time' issue the anti-table mafia loves to pimp. Case in point ever see a 'hack free' 100% height model SEO layout that even with proper code indentation is STILL smaller than most 'pure CSS' solutions? http://battletech.hopto.org/for_others/3coltable_SEO/template.html

3) When the clearing of floats or use of floats may limit what you can do inside your columns or break the layout. This is why if making a CMS I would use a table not floats because most of the time you have no idea what the user is going to try and do inside your columns.

... and that is IT for reasons to use a table for layout. If what you are doing does NOT fall into one of those categories there is no excuse to use a table that I can think of.

As mentioned elsewhere in another recent thread the problem with tables is NOT their use for layout, but their OVERUSE with people wrapping EVERYTHING in a table, even single elements or single columns.... These are the people that go DIV/Class-happy when switching away from tables - which ends up being no improvement at all.

 

well you pretty much answered this in the best way possible, i pretty much think that ends the discussion =]