Sent by Don A. Elbourne Jr. on 29 September 2003 15:03
A print style sheet makes the ubiquitous "Click Here for a Printer Friendly
Version" link unnecessary, or does it?
I'd like to use a print style sheet for a site I'm working on. You can see a
mock-up page here:
http://elbourne.org/css/3columns.html
Its a 3 column layout with a header navigation, and footer. The navigation
and two side columns would be frivolous on paper, so I hid them with the
print CSS. I changed to a font more suitable for print and made a few other
changes. Everything would be cool except for the protests I am receiving
from other members of the project. They may have a valid point.
People have grown accustom to mangled results when they use their browser's
print feature. Unless they are presented a "printer friendly version" on
screen, they may be reluctant to print the page at all. Having a clean
printer friendly version available through a print style sheet is futile if
users aren't made aware that it exists. So, some on the team are suggesting
that we really DO need a "Click here for a printer friendly version" link
that will give them a page on-screen, similar to what will be printed.
My question to the CSS-D community:
Are print style sheets useful?
Are printer friendly versions necessary or redundant?
What is the conventional wisdom on this issue?
Do any "big name" sites use printer style sheets effectively?
Thank you for your input.
Don A. Elbourne Jr.
http://elbourne.org
______________________________________________________________________
css-discuss [EMAIL-REMOVED]]
http://www.css-discuss.org/mailman/listinfo/css-d
Supported by evolt.org -- http://www.evolt.org/help_support_evolt/