And lo, Jon didst speak in alt.www.webmaster:

> Hmm.. So far all the time I have used on this topic on usenet has been
> about answering questions that had little to do with my question. I'm
> sorry but I didn't post a question to answer questions about design
> decisions or whatever else people could come up with. My project is
> set, I have the design goals, I have a contract with my client that
> specifies everything. It's not up to debate and nothing will be
> changed. I do think usenet groups can be awarding in that you can get
> another pair of eyes on a subject. But this has been a complete waste
> of time.. Not only did I come up with a solution to my problem alone,
> I also wasted time answering question from people who didn't have an
> answer. This is all very sad, because this could really be a great,
> professional assistance in those hairy moments where you don't know
> what to do. I don't know what to do about it, but it's probably the
> last time I will post any questions here.

If your perception of Usenet is as nothing more than an information desk,
good riddance.

Usenet is a collaborative medium where everyone can voice their ideas. If
you have a problem with the discussion drifting to elements of your
problem you don't think are important, you should have phrased your
question in such a way as to provide the initial focus.

You had a "solution" to your problem decided upon from the beginning, you
only needed to know how to implement it. Yet instead you outlined your
entire situation then expected people to ignore all that context and just
give you the goods. Then when people began suggesting different (and
better) ways to resolve your situation, you got pissy about people wasting
your time. In case you haven't figured it out already, that makes you
pretty arrogant.

> For all of you who read this, please think again before you reply to a
> topic/question. A question about why my client don't use another
> application is really really pointless. I wouldn't be creating an
> application if there was no need or if my client wasn't paying. The
> simple answer to THAT question is that there is more to my application
> than just the calendar. Which IS really really beside the point. My
> question is about browser behavior and CSS. Nothing more and nothing
> else!

I'm sorry, but who are you? I ask because it sounds like you expected
your reputation and client history to have preceded you. I'm sorry to
dissappoint you, but it didn't. We have no clue at what point your
project is at, and what kind of urgency you require. How are we supposed
to know what still can or cannot be changed?

BTW, most of the suggestions offered you are indeed *better* solutions to
your problem. Don't blame us if what you really wanted was a quick hack
rather than valuable with the fundamental design.

> Thanks for your time. I hope you will think twice before asking
> questions to a question. We are all professionals and we all loose
> money on wasting time.
> Regards, Jon.

If it was a question of money, you should have gone to Experts-Exchange or
Yahoo! Answers. On Usenet, for a problem as general as you described it,
you're going to get a roundtable discussion as a response, and you're
being foolish to have expected anything else.

> PS. Please don't tell me it's easier to manipulate tables than divs -
> I had to learn the hard way and there is no way I'm switching back to
> tables if I can avoid it!

Oh yeah, that's exactly how I was going to end this post, with a comment
on how you should really be using tables. But it seems like you predicted
precisely what I was going to say. Now I am totally at a loss for words.
Looks like you win this one.

Grey

--
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