Chapter 54. Rehabilitating Horizontal Rules

One of the most useful but least used elements in all HTML is the humble horizontal rule. Its goal is a simple but noble one: to create a visual dividing line between the sections of a page.

The best thing about this element is that it's a free graphic. The browser generates it internally. Your visitors don't have to download it, which reduces the overall graphics load and improves the performance of your site.

Part of the problem with the horizontal rule is that, out of the box, it's too long, too blocky, and too obtrusive, as Figure 54.1 shows. Most designers would rather separate the sections of their page with elegant whitespace, not this ugly thing. But if you take the time to adjust its attributes, ...

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