Yeah, even a link to a discussion on a problem with CSS would be helpful. Because since CSS2 I don’t think there is much problem with the design of the language.
Also, I am not very well versed in programming (so correct me if I am wrong), but I didn’t think CSS was an API at all… I thought an API was the way programs worked with each other. CSS is a language, not an API. Right?
it could be an “API” depending on how you choose to interpret it - i.e. i might interpret it as an “API” for manipulating the look and feel of my website. and then maybe i could define an arbitrary set of requirements that i’d like, and then claim that it doesn’t satisfy them. and then i’d have an article that would be incredibly uninteresting.
but yeah, it’s not what most reasonable people would think of when you say “API”.
The “#menu .left br” selectors are an API of sorts. The rules for determining most specific selector are also so Byzantine you can’t possibly emulate them in your head.
What is he referring to here, exactly? I don’t recall CSS being a particularly bad API, much less the worst one of the year.
yep - this is also the line that i stopped reading. not because i agree or disagree but because it’s not at all clear what his terms mean.
Yeah, even a link to a discussion on a problem with CSS would be helpful. Because since CSS2 I don’t think there is much problem with the design of the language.
Also, I am not very well versed in programming (so correct me if I am wrong), but I didn’t think CSS was an API at all… I thought an API was the way programs worked with each other. CSS is a language, not an API. Right?
it could be an “API” depending on how you choose to interpret it - i.e. i might interpret it as an “API” for manipulating the look and feel of my website. and then maybe i could define an arbitrary set of requirements that i’d like, and then claim that it doesn’t satisfy them. and then i’d have an article that would be incredibly uninteresting.
but yeah, it’s not what most reasonable people would think of when you say “API”.
The “#menu .left br” selectors are an API of sorts. The rules for determining most specific selector are also so Byzantine you can’t possibly emulate them in your head.
Hmm, I find it quite easy to understand CSS selectors.
selects element with id of “menu”.
selects element with class of “left” inside element with id of “menu”.
selects “br” tags within element with class of “left” inside element with id of “menu”.
Seems intuitive to me… what is so difficult to understand?
e.g. http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/07/27/css-specificity-things-you-should-know/
The fact that such an article (and all its accompanying links) is necessary suggests to me this isn’t easy.