Time to clean up the CSS...again

Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) Version 7 will soon be upon us, forcing web designers back to the drawing board. If you're a stickler like me, and only create web pages in strict mode, then many of the hacks used to force IE to render as well as gecko-based web browsers (such as Firefox and Netscape) will no longer work: the star hack, for instance, as well as the body child hack. Conditional statements appear to be the way to go but, seriously now, what a lot of trouble. Why can't Microsoft just get it right? Of course, many web designers keep IE on their machines just to check how disastrously wrong good code can become in a bad browser, and would feel no hesitation whatsoever in uninstalling the program the instant it figures out how to behave itself. Bill Gates is no fool.

If you're a Firefox fan, try this nifty tool to help you de-hack your CSS (I can't live without it): Chris Pederick's Web Developer Extension. If you're devoted to IE, try the new Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar. I haven't yet given it a go but the reviews aren't half bad.