Introduction

Way back in 1998, I was all set to teach a course in Cascading Style Sheets through the HTML Writers Guild's online education program; I only needed a textbook -- a good guide to learning CSS that I could supplement with learning exercises and personal advice.

But there simply weren't any such CSS textbooks available at the time.

Eventually I managed to find a book that partially met my needs and the needs of my students -- a book that has since become obsolete due to ongoing changes in Web standards and browser evolution -- and managed to teach the class. But it left me wondering why there were so few CSS books available. I asked around, and the answer I got was that "CSS isn't ready yet" -- browsers didn't support it, Web designers hadn't heard of it, and book publishers weren't interested in it.

Times have changed, thankfully, since those Dark Ages of CSS. All major browsers as well as some minor ones have increased support for Cascading Style Sheets in the latest versions. Web developers are aware of CSS and the vital role they play in designing great Web pages, and presumably you've got some idea of how important they are if you've bought this book. A number of excellent CSS books have been produced over the years, and I hope this book is a notable addition to that collection of worthy works.

The goal of this book is to give you a solid, practical foundation in Cascading Style Sheets. You'll not only learn what the CSS specifications tell you, but you'll also learn how those specs have been implemented in the browsers. In each hour, your knowledge of CSS will increase, and by the time you're done with the book, you'll be quite proud of how much you've learned. More than a reference book, this is a tutorial that will guide you to an understanding of what CSS can do for your Web designs.

Sample Code

There is no sample code for the introduction.

Web Links

These are the links presented in the introduction, given here for easy reference.

• Internet Explorer for Windows
• Internet Explorer for Macintosh
• Netscape for Windows, Macintosh or Linux
• Opera for Windows, Macintosh or Linux
• Mozilla for Windows, Macintosh or Linux

Updates and Errata

There are currently no updates to the introduction's content.