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RE: Is doctype really important

for

From: julian.rickards@ndm.gov.on.ca
Date: Mar 15, 2004 7:35AM

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chris Price [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]

> In the WAG guidelines we are told that a page should
> "validate to published
> formal grammars" and recommends including a doctype.
>
> I have found that a doctype definitely makes a difference
> when relying on
> style sheets for layout but many commercial sites don't
> include a doctype
> and I can only presume they don't see the need for one.
>
> How important is a doctype in terms of accessibility and can
> the lack of one
> make any real difference when it comes to a table based layout.


Doctype does not affect accessibility per se but it is part of the WAI (I
don't know if it is part of Section 508). However, checkpoing 3.2 states
"3.2 Create documents that validate to published formal grammars." which
means that to validate, you must have a doctype.

Many commercial sites probably use a CMS that does not insert a Doctype -
this is bad form but in the past, many errors were made in HTML and allowed
through the cracks.

Does doctype affect tables for layout? No but the general recommendation is
that if you can do without them, do so: if you can reduce their use for
layout but cannot eliminate them altogether, that too is good but neither
have anything to do with the doctype.

---------------------------------------------------------
Julian Rickards
Digital Publications Distribution Coordinator
Publications Services Section
Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines
Phone: (705) 670-5608
Fax: (705) 670-5690


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