In HTML5 we have these new tags such as <section> <nav> and <footer> which seems nicer than using standard <div>s all the time, because of their semantic value.
But I have found that viewing pages created with these in old versions of IE, they are ignored, or at least the css classes and id’s assigned to them are. So they don’t display right.
I’m thinking the three options are:-
Screw the new tags, just use good old dependable <div>s.
Screw people with antiquated browsers, modern browsers don’t cost anything to download, get with it.
Or lace my code with loads of <!--[if lt IE 9]> followed by <!--[if !IE]> --> alternatives, to please everyone. But I can’t help thinking that is just over-complicating and over-inflating my code.
Is there value in using the new tags? Is it folly to put extra effort and code into pleasing everyone?
I did seach for topics on this, but did not find recent ones. Just ones from a few years ago when html5 was new and this stuff was not widely accepted, I think things have changed since.
All comments I want to make about your post, are basically answered in that thread. Display:block the HTML5 / add the shiv if you want to go even older.
I was just about to say, I already have a ‘reset’ section in my css file { display: block; } and html5shiv.js in the head, then had one of thoses ‘Duh!’ moments when I went to look if it was a recent version.
Yes shiv is in the head, but I neglected to copy the script into the js folder.
Cheers Ryan.
For me, I’m waiting for NON-HTML or browser specific technology to be obsolete… I fear that I would not live to see that day. What I mean is that, I see a future where a browser is nothing but a ‘remote display’ where the graphic rendering is done on the ‘server side’. Of course, we can’t do this today due to limited resource where we have to rely on end user’s computer resource. This would eliminate so much of ‘testing’ and be free of using the latest and greatest technology w/o being limited to what browser (and version) is being used.
Back to the question. If you’re making a public site, then it’s no brainer that you should at least support IE8. I’m not sure how much HTML5 is implemented on IE8. If you’re making private site, it’s common to remove such requirement as ‘support IE8’. I honestly don’t believe developers choose to use HTML5 tags but for other features like ‘Web Socket’, History Push, and etc… At least, I wouldn’t upgrade to HTML5 to use the new tags.
As you should have gathered, this thread came about as result of a ‘brain fart’. I think what happened was I discovered shiv some time ago and put it in a site I work on, then just recently, re-building another site I copied that script link not really thinking about it and what it does, just remembering its something I should include for old browsers. Then testing in an old IE, things don’t look right, so thought I needed something more. I fact I just forgot to copy the actual script to the site.
Now its in place, it works, problem solved. I only got to test it this morning, when I have access to an old XP machine with IE7. Shiv is doing the job, css3-mediaqueries.js also works which is cool, though people using mobile devices most likely have newer browsers.
It doesn’t look as pretty without round corners and shadows, but I can live with that, so long as content is there, formatted and readable. These browsers are a minority now after all, but Analytics show there are a few still hanging on.
I see the benefits of doing things server side, I do as much programming as I can with PHP, only using js where it seems the only way. As for display rendering, it is theoretically possible but the dynamics and variations of screen sizes these days would make it hard. Servers would need super graphics processors to cater for that, rather than sharing a much smaller rendering load among it’s clients. The more I think about it, there would be further issues with bandwidth and interactivity etc…
What is really needed is better browser adherence to standards, which I believe we are now seeing. Later day IE seems up-to-speed now. Its just the die-hard ‘old IE’ users we still cater for, they will eventually fizzle out.
Yup. That’s exactly it. Another apparent pro is that it would eliminate browser viruses. I imagine this could be a reality when it’s normal to have 1000mbps internet speed.
. Brain fart.