Re: Optimizing OnlineHelp for Mobile Viewing

[John Allred <jack -at- allrednet -dot- com>]

Thanks for the update, Ed. 

So, basically, it's "second verse, same as the first." The W3C continues to evolve sensible, universal standards that promote device independence, and software companies continue to ignore it by producing competing products, using a dizzying array of dissimilar approaches; ones that confuse and complicate the field, as well as add needless expense for end users. This is all in the name of expedience and competitive advantage. If we all use the same standards, where is our selling proposition?

Bottom line: most of the effort that goes into writing competing, incompatible software, as well as adaptation to that poorly designed software, could be better spent innovating on top of consistent, standard platforms. 

[In the process of putting away the soap box and going back to lurk mode]

On Jul 29, 2011, at 4:11 PM, Ed Marsh <lists -at- edmarsh -dot- com> wrote:

> 
> 
> There has been work in this area; it's known (for better or worse)
> as Responsive Web Design:
> 
> 
> http://www.alistapart.com/articles/responsive-web-design/
> 
> 
> Essentially it uses what's called CSS Media Queries to serve to each
> type of device. 
> 
> This approach is not for the faint of heart, nor the
> CSS-uninitiated, but is just one possibility. 
> 
> -=Ed.
> 
> On Fri, 29 Jul
> 2011 15:39:47 -0500, John Allred wrote: 
> 
>> Having been out of the field
> for many years, I should apologize if I'm missing something that
> everyone else knows. But what you're describing is what we were talking
> about in web development fifteen years ago. You write one structured
> document and serve it with the appropriate CSS style sheet for the
> device in use. I find it hard to believe any tools have been developed
> in that time without this economical framework in mind. Well, on second
> thought, Microsoft never signed on for a neutral, standards-based web;
> why should anyone else?
>> 
>> John Allred
> 
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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