In a recent thread that strayed off topic and ended with Remi highlighting errors within Xtreme generated script and John (Rayner) pooh-poohing the need for strict script adherence, I would be interested in members views on this matter.

From the outset I'll admit I avoid html wherever possible. I create my sites almost exclusively in Flash to avoid such matters.

My own personal view is that the greatest perpetrators of html anomalies are the browser software creators themselves and this has led to the need for this evangelistic validation of your html.

Beyond this, a lot of this validation code is to do with accessibility which is admirable but in a commercial world not always practicable. Often the devil is in the detail and the final part of achieving this accessibility can become an additional 40% of the build.

Who is going to pay for this extra work? The Client? You?

As a small example: If you run your brand new stonking site through "validation_r_us" or such similar site it often comes up with such errors as missing ALT tags.

Oh my, oh me, what am I to do, I wont get my site accredited with WC3 or whoever and have that snazzy little logo of theirs.

ALT tags are meant to give visitors who can't view an image an alternative textual information re that image.

So now, having noted the missing ALT tags, I add the ALT tag to every image on my site ALT = "bumf".

I rerun my site through "validation_r_us" and hey presto I pass.

Over to you folks .........