Hi,

 

Someone that I have done some work for is considering another website offered by a company who boast various features and plug-ins etc. At best their site designs are mediocre and every site clearly has the same template and all that is changed is the main image, the colours and some of the content.

 

In addition, I ran their site (main site) through a validator. The HTML has 92 errors, 63 warnings; the CSS has 22 errors including things like negative padding.

 

I would very much appreciate your opinion on this. I validate my own sites, but being totally honest, I don't know why it's important. I would like to go back to this person with some advice.

 

Many thanks

this is the way i see it:

 

If a "company" cant create a valid and working website for themselves, how will they do one for a client website...

and if there answer is we cant be bothered with our site - then i dont see why a client should bother with them...

A standard compliant website shows that you care about cross browser compatibility, website longevity and the quality of your work. Site validation is a powerful indicator that someone takes their job seriously. Errors in code belies either laziness or ignorance - neither of which are desirable in someone you're paying to do a job.

Thanks guys. I thought the same. I also called them today to speak to them and no one was there to take my call, and the receptionist didn't know when they would be back. Surely you'd expect more from someone charging £35-£50 per month?

The problem you have is that 95% of clients don't care about W3C, all they want is for their site to work in the browser that they have on their desktop and that they get some business from the website. We all know the issues with having W3C validated code and the joys of working of it working in IE.

 

It's all about the total package that clients are looking for, best bet is to ask the client what is making them think of moving to another supplier. The take there issues and address them.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Mamba.

Many clients haven't heard of W3C or validation, and wouldn't know why it's important unless you explained it to them.

 

But I agree with Mambo, find out why they are planning to move to a new provider, rather than finding reasons why they shouldn't choose that one.

"At best their site designs are mediocre and every site clearly has the same template and all that is changed is the main image, the colours and some of the content."

 

this is how and why you should you convince your client to stay with you, not the coding. yes the coding is important but they will understand the above a lot better

I wouldnt go on the css error report as there are hacks in the css which make things look better!!

 

For instance: The rounded corners css rule is a hack and is not valid.

 

With the html not being valid could be due to javascripts as some enhance the look and feel of the site but are not w3c valid.

 

Take http://www.rippleffect.com/ which are one of the biggest companies out there and most of there websites created are not valid lol.

 

Validation is only frontend and only standard. Most major websites are not valid as they want to make there website look better with hacks and tricks.

 

Hope this helps.

and my personal pet hate is when someone plasters W3C logos all over their site to say that it's compliant yet when you check it's not!

I agree validation is important and shows that extra level of care and attention you like to see from a designer, but at the same time, I think you have to cut a little slack if there a few validation errors and there is a good reason (beyond sloppiness) where the designer had to bend the rules to get the site to do what the client requested.

 

cheers

 

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St Albans Web Design

Web Design, SEO, Development, Email Marketing