Complete CSS layout using McLayout and CSS Media Specifications

Catering for multiple media using CSS media, and McLayout multi-resolution

Effectively producing content presentation for the Internet has the unique challenge of having to create cater for more than one predetermined presentation formats. Unlike the case of a screen medium like television which features an extremely standardised presentation format and screen resolution, visual web content presentation has to be compatible with a few of the main screen formats commonly used by a given audience (can be determined by collective and analysing web metrics).

To cater for this existence of multiple presentation formats for web content, Web Design and Web Content presentation standards and technologies have been developed to meet this need. Of particular interest is the Mclayout techniques outlined in alistapart.com that have for objective to cater for the various screen-sizes that users may use to access given web content (PDA, WebTV, 640x480, 800x600,1024x768, 1400 16:9 widescreen etc) that cannot be catered for by the media attribute of a linked CSS file.

Advantages/Strengths of the McLayout approach
It can support a virtually unlimited number of configurations and feature-sets that can be attributed to any scripting event of value; such as user events, configuration, and environmental events.

Weaknesses and disadvantages of the McLayout approach
It cannot be used in the absence of Javascript support as it is characteristic of non-traditional presentation media such as Braille and WML clients that depend on a stripped-down content format. This is a crucial lacking as it is these non-traditional formats that normally use especially small resolutions an dimensions.

Conclusion
As explained above, the McLayout approach fits a niche that does not have an established or standardised method of approach. Much as one can more effectively cater for the main media families such as print, aural, embossed, braille and screen, McLayout can complete this W3C Web Standards-based multimedia support by providing specific support for a more refined list of configuration options for visual media (screen). To improve upon the stability and dependability of the McLayout, instead of using client-side scripting, using server-side scripting languages will enable McLayout to function even on media that do not support scripting (text only, bots/crawlers/archivers, aural etc)