HTML & CSS: The Good Parts

Acknowledgments

When I reflect upon my experiences of 15 years as a site builder, the quality that impresses me most is ignorance. There’s plenty of it to go around, and like many site builders, I often take opportunities to castigate the ignorance of others less skilled…but not in this book.

Why?

Of greater concern still is my own ignorance, which is no less deserving of criticism. Close on the heels of ignorance are trepidation and obstinacy, both of which were regular contributors to my internal dialogue during the year that I took to write this book.

Given that attitude, this book attempts to exemplify the belief that one should light a candle for others to find their way, instead of cursing the darkness. I give fair due to the comfort engendered by continued reliance upon legacy production techniques, and where best practices are mentioned, I make a point of selling them as softly as I can without muddling my message.

In sum, I tried to fill this book with the advice that would have stood me in good stead eight or nine years ago, that instead many people (including myself) sorted out only by trial, error, and accident, and thence shared one iota at a time as they became able.

I hope that this book will be as useful to you now, as it would’ve been to me when I was working toward CSS mastery.

There are a number of people whose involvement in my life brought me far enough to achieve that state of mastery and to write this book. Since this is my first chance to call them out fully in public, I feel that I ought to mention them by name. Apart from my family, these benefactors include Christian Cepel, Steven Champeon, Sumin Chou, Teddi Deppner, Nick Finck, David Hemphill, Molly Holzschlag, Brenda Houston, Ethan Marcotte, Doug Petersen, Lance Taylor, Thomas Vander Wal, Peter Zale, and Jeffrey Zeldman. These individuals have each made significant contributions to my life, and without all of them, it’s likely that this book would never have been written.

There are also several people named in the book itself. Of these, Chris Mills of Opera Software has my special thanks. Chris has never been far from this project—he’s the one who suggested me to O’Reilly Media as an author candidate. In fact, Chris started me down this road in the first place, by inviting me to contribute to the Opera Web Standards Curriculum.

The contents and quality of this book are not owed to my work alone. In fact, it was kept from the precipice of failure by the indefatigable patience of Simon St.Laurent, my editor at O’Reilly Media. My words might be on these pages and my name might be on the cover, but Simon’s constant support of this project bridged the long gap between my effort and a successful conclusion.

Michael Smith is ultimately responsible for this book’s contents on the subject of HTML5, and the absence of his name from its cover makes poor thanks for his willingness to rescue me from lurching through that proverbial minefield.

I had the opportunity to handpick three technical reviewers: Kimberly Blessing, Gez Lemon, and Chris Van Domelen. Each of them made categorically critical contributions to the accuracy and currency of this book, any remaining lack of which is my responsibility alone.

Kimberly and Chris have also been stalwart associates and sources of technical advice for several years, and I find myself unable (as in so many other cases) to thank them in adequate measure for their help.

O’Reilly Media was gracious enough to provide three additional technical reviewers: Edd Dumbill, Elaine Nelson, and Shelley Powers. Their contributions helped find many more glitches and improve the structure of the book.

While I might’ve written this book someday, you wouldn’t be reading it now without the outstanding work of Douglas Crockford, which proved that a “Good Parts” series would find enthusiastic readers.

I believe strongly that things really work on account of the work done by “backstage” folks, and this project confirmed that belief. Especially high praise goes to Emily Quill, who untangled the unwieldy parts of this book’s draft, and in doing so, ensured that you will get your money’s worth for this book. Loranah Dimant tirelessly addressed my last-minute edits and ensured a bright polish for the book.

My final thanks here go to Eric Meyer, who sets the bar high for the rest of us who take a hand at developer education.

In closing, I hope that the knowledge you gain from this book will lead you to achievements that are no less impressive in degree than those of the people mentioned here.