does anyone here use W3C validator for their forums?

[ShawneyJ]

i just created a really cool sidebar for my forum and ran it through W3C validator, and omg, there was like 30 errors lol. i fixed most, but theres only so much i can fix in the coding for vb3 with out an error appearing on my boards.

anyways, i got looking around at other users forums here at vb org, and seen everyone of them with W3C validator errors. i read around the net on other sites about how it effects your google PR etc. some say it hurts PR some say it dont.

google wrote:

Q: Does validating my site's code (with a tool such as the W3C validator) help my site's ranking in Google?
A: No, at least not directly. However, to the extent that cleaning up your HTML makes your site render better in a variety of browsers, more accessible to people with disabilities or folks accessing your pages on portable or other devices, and so on, it can improve the popularity of your site... increasing traffic, natural links to your site (which can help with your Google ranking), and so on.

i noticed youtube has HEAPS of W3C validator errors, but yet thats google ran isn't it?

i was just wondering does anyone here take note of their sites W3C validator errors, or even cares about it?

cheers.

[tbworld]

Just use it as a guideline to assist you as you already have. On critical production code (HTML, CSS, JAVASCRIPT), I tend to look how the browsers handle my code in their strict modes -- again, you have to use these tools as guidelines only.

[ShawneyJ]

thanks mate. what do you mean about strict modes in browsers please?

i tested my sidebar with IE, FF and chrome and no errors whats so ever. i even got someone to use their iphone to test on safari. no problems whats so ever. but once i ran it through W3C validator, it kinda through me off from using it, even though it took ages to make the sidebar to my likings.

so basically, dont stress so much about it, if your style/theme works fine in all browsers?
thanks.

edit: what the heck just happened to vb org lol.

Database Error : mysql_connect() [<a href='function.mysql-connect'>function.mysql-connect</a>]: Too many connections
/var/www/sites/vbulletin.org/htdocs/forum/includes/class_core.php on line 272

MySQL Error    : 
Error Text     : 

Application    : vBulletin
Version        : 
Classname      : vB_Database

Date           : Tuesday, June 17th 2014 @ 02:33:47 AM
Username       : 

Script         : https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/portal.php
Referrer       : 

IP Address     : XXXXXXX

-->

i thought i got kicked out. never seen that b4.

[tbworld]

Originally Posted by ShawneyJ

thanks mate. what do you mean about strict modes in browsers please?

They are various developer modes intrinsic to each browser. Some browsers separate these into modes and warnings (error levels). The more advanced levels have to be enabled though the developers configuration. In essence it tells you how the the browser reads your code and warns you about possible problems that might arise in the future.

For example on your site on one page the following javascript strict errors:

The  character encoding of a framed document was not declared. The document  may appear different if viewed without the document framing it. 

Use of attributes' specified attribute is deprecated. It always returns true.
...typeof a&&(b=da(a,10));return b},od=function(){var a=Y.drw;kc(function(b){if(a!=...

The first error is typical and is a reminder. The second is telling you of a possible problem in the future with this browser and maybe other devices. In many cases with browsers, even if it is deprecated it will still work. What they are really saying is that they are not going to expand support for that function any longer and in the future it might be removed.

What browser do you use for development?

[BirdOPrey5]

To answer the original question - no... I see no benefit to do so. Just something people with too much time worry about IMO.

[tbworld]

Originally Posted by ShawneyJ

so basically, dont stress so much about it, if your style/theme works fine in all browsers?

Yep, You got it!

We are in a new error, that device checking is almost more important then browser checking.

[ShawneyJ]

Originally Posted by BirdOPrey5

To answer the original question - no... I see no benefit to do so. Just something people with too much time worry about IMO.

i dont have a lot of time on my hands, and thats a very strait forward answer that i do like to hear. i have more important stuff to do than sit here and fix silly little bits of coding that it picks out. i.e., it cant even make up its mind about <br> <br/> or <br />. even the end > it wants /> on certain lines. half the reason i do this is to please others. but thanks for your reply.

Originally Posted by tbworld

Yep, You got it!

We are in a new error, that device checking is almost more important then browser checking.

thanks for your helpful reply above and this one.
i use FF, always have and most likely will never change.
was that the site in my siggy you tested? because that page is crappy coding lol.

so options for FF, we thinking firebug, i have never really bothered with that stuff.
thanks.

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by ShawneyJ

i was just wondering does anyone here take note of their sites W3C validator errors, or even cares about it?

In a word ... No.

[tbworld]

Originally Posted by ShawneyJ

thanks for your helpful reply above and this one.
i use FF, always have and most likely will never change.
was that the site in my siggy you tested? because that page is crappy coding lol.

Neither error is a problem at this time. It was just an example of strict reporting. If the coding works, does not slow down your site under load, and is safe to run. Then your fine.

I rarely have time or are given time to write perfect code! Thus it is crappy too.

[squidsk]

Originally Posted by ShawneyJ

i was just wondering does anyone here take note of their sites W3C validator errors, or even cares about it?

Yes, valid xhtml markup is a key ingredient in being able to figure out why things don't look the way that you think they should look. It allows you to narrow what you're looking for to find bugs. This isn't to say that all errors/warning that show up in the validtors errors are worth correcting. Not only that you have a better chance of having cross browser compatibility if your site, and I'm not just talking vb sites here, is able to be validated since most modern browsers will with a great deal of accuracy render a valid site. If the site isn't valid then you're trusting that the browsers your users are using can effectively deal with whatever markup errors are there.