Diarmad.com
Ever notice how the internet isn't all about simple text pages any more? And then, did you ever notice that pages are getting heavier and heavier with content? They have become bloated massive distended, barely functioning entities that even the highest broadband connection can't easily cope with. (Think of a particular webspace that rhymes with TryPlace. Perfect example.) A lot of people think that this is the price we pay for having a visually appealing internet. However, I would dispute that claim, citing such technologies as CSS, Flash and PHP, and even the lowly Javascript through meticulous use of AJAX. These tools make web design accessible to more and more people, without the bloat.
Don't worry if none of that meant anything to you... Just read on my friend... Read on...
What's so bad about the bloat?
As web pages bloat, it takes longer to load them, it takes more memory and processor power to effectively handle them. It requires more bandwidth, which raises costs for the providers of those very web pages. That cost, is of course, passed on to the end user - namely you!
I propose that it is entirely possible to create visually appealing websites that don't require an insane amount of inflated, swollen (and ultimately) useless code. Creating w3c optimized code whilst using the technologies available to us allows us to make a web page that is more friendly in more browsers, easier and quicker to use. (As well as more accessible to every person who visits our sites!) A tiny revolution on the internet, led by such entities such as CSS Zen Garden, Eric Meyer, A List Apart are paving the path to make it easier for developers to learn how to create wonderful, slim, yet stunningly beautiful webpages.