Thanks to all those who responded, either on or off the list. It is
encouraging to know that it is the norm to find this difficult and
not the onset of senility and wurzle gummidge eyebrows.
On thinking about it a bit further and taking on board comments, I
see that there are a number of nuggets of wisdom:
- retrofitting ccs positioning to a pre-existing design is a rubbish
idea (I'm sure I've said this when giving courses, but didn't apply
it to myself)
- in order to take advantage of ccs positioning one has to re-learn
how best to design a page and to avoid to many of the design areas
that need hacks to make them work (I need to create templates that it
is possible for the full ability range of web editors/authors to use
on their sites, so complications are best avoided)
- the way to go about it is to go for a fresh start, even if your
'redesign' ends up looking similar
- it will take much longer than you want it to or hope it will, and
this isn't your fault (especially if you want to do it properly)!
In my case, I have to keep saying the first one, over and over - in
fact if I could make it more succinct, I'd make it into a sticker and
position it liberally round my office!
On a different level, I can see that I ought to revisit some of the
received wisdom on how to organise a page (such as
http://psychology.wichita.edu/optimalweb/position.htm). I see that
have looked at it before pretty much in order to back up what I'd
already done, and it would be useful to absorb equally valid
alternatives. It really isn't useful to be set in your ways.
Hey ho - life as a learning experience eh? Good job it's Friday...
--
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Helen Varley Sargan
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