Appendix C. Deprecated Tags
The
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the organization responsible for
setting the HTML standard. The W3C takes HTML advancements into
consideration when compiling the new standards. Many once-proprietary
tags have been rolled into the standard and eventually find universal
browser support. Others fall by the wayside.
As HTML advances and improved methods such as Cascading Style Sheets
emerge, older tags are put to rest by the W3C. The HTML 4.01
Recommendation has classified a number of HTML tags and individual
attributes as "deprecated." The W3C defines a deprecated
element as one . . .
. . . that has been outdated by newer constructs. Deprecated elements
are defined in the reference manual in appropriate locations, but are
clearly marked as deprecated. Deprecated elements may become obsolete
in future versions of HTML.
User agents [browsers] should continue to support deprecated elements
for reasons of backward compatibility. Definitions of elements and
attributes clearly indicate which are deprecated.
This specification includes examples that illustrate how to avoid
using deprecated elements. In most cases these depend on user agent
support for style sheets. In general, authors should use style sheets
to achieve stylistic and formatting effects rather than HTML
presentational attributes. HTML presentational attributes have been
deprecated when style sheet alternatives exist.
The tables in this appendix list the elements and attributes that
have been deprecated in the HTML 4.01 specification. Substitute tags
or methods are listed when provided by the W3C.
C.1. Deprecated Elements
The following elements have been deprecated in the HTML 4.01
specification.
|
Element
|
Description
|
Recommendation
|
|
<applet>
|
Inserts applet
|
<object>
|
|
<basefont>
|
Sets font styles for subsequent text
|
Style sheets (color, font-size,
font-family, font, etc.)
|
|
<center>
|
Centers elements on the page
|
<DIV align=center>
|
|
<dir>
|
Directory list
|
<ul>
|
|
<font>
|
Applies font styles
|
Style sheets (color, font-size,
font-family, font, etc.)
|
|
<isindex>
|
Adds search field
|
<form> and CGI programming
|
|
<menu>
|
Menu item list
|
<ul>
|
|
<s>
|
Strikethrough text
|
Style sheets (text-decoration)
|
|
<strike>
|
Strikethrough text
|
Style sheets (text-decoration)
|
|
<u>
|
Underlined text
|
Style sheets (text-decoration)
|
 |  |  | | B. List of Attributes |  | C.2. Deprecated Attributes |
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| 
