Meryl K. Evans is the content maven behind meryl.net, helping companies build relationships with clients and prospects through content. She writes and edits for InformIT, PC Today, InternetVIZ, MarketingProfs and others. She is also a member of WaSP - www.webstandards.org

Welcome to fadtastic, Meryl. Firstly, how did you become interested in web standards and css-based design?

You know, I’ve been thinking about this and I can’t recall the trigger for my interest as it’s been so long. I can confirm that I saw the value in CSS in 2001.

Wow. I hadn’t heard of CSS in 2001! Do you think (web) standards are just a trend or here to stay? Why?

Without question, here to stay. Interest in Web standards started in or before 1998 when the Web Standards Project was born. Eight years. A fad doesn’t last that long. More and more big sites are converting their design to be web standards compliant. That’s why I created a Big Sites category (http://www.meryl.net/css/cat_big_sites.php) - so people can see standards has touched big companies. A big company with thousands of web pages isn’t going to have an easy time converting its site to web standards - so I admire those who take a step forward and not follow it 100%. It’s a start!

An interesting viewpoint. What one factor would you use to convince a novice web-designer to embrace standards?

If a company decides to change its colors, you don’t have to edit every page to make this change. You can do it in the style sheet and the change affects all pages.

So speed and efficiency rules the day. I guess it is important to convert non-standardistas by using a business case. So why do you think your CSS Collection is so successful?

Considering more and more CSS showcases pop up, there’s obviously an interest in seeing what others have done in following web standards and not using tables for layout. Many of us rely on existing sites for ideas (not stealing, of course). CSS Collection isn’t the fanciest and has little features compared to the others, but it’s probably the oldest list around thanks to Donimo Shriver who started it sometime in or before early — as I began hosting it on my site in late 2002. I couldn’t confirm the exact date in the web archives.

Obviously you think standards/CSS are great. Do you think they have any drawbacks? If so, what?

I think positioning with CSS frustrates a lot of people including me. CSS is easy and it’s hard.

Thank you, Meryl.

Readers, let us know your views on the questions above and if you want to ask Meryl anything, now’s your chance.

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