Re: It's all the web developers' fault!
"But Mr Badger, that's exactly my point!!! You want, you want."
I want what? Software to work as specified?
"The specs may say one thing, but if that's not how the browser works then why are you complaining about the specs and still coding to them?"
Correction: if that's not how the browser supplied by the monopolist works. Sure, there are various problems with specification compatibility on most browsers, but the right thing to do is to adhere as closely to the standards, not to code for one browser.
"Some developers are the sorts of people that would get on a plane because the brochure says it's a right good flier, but has never actually had a flight test. Would you get on the plane? Would you then feel that it's someone else's fault that it crashed?"
What are you saying here? That when people trust the specification and are let down, it's the specification's fault?
"The text fragment [script type] appears 15 times in the source of this page.
NoScript is telling me that it's blocking 22 scripts on this page."
Well, I don't advocate excessive use of JavaScript and there are things that are possible with CSS2 that reduce the need for JavaScript. Sadly, because certain browsers are obsolete, developers reach straight for the JavaScript in order to reach the punters who cling to such browsers.
"Why are you telling me that it's a lot simpler now, and that it's more likely to render properly than my megatable that downloads in 1 millisecond via my broadband connection?"
Wired had lots of good things to say when they switched from their old megatable layout to a purer design:
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2002/10/55675
So, I think you're conflating some developers' technology addictions (newer plus shinier) with the use of improved technologies based on standards. It's a shame that Microsoft doesn't allow developers to take advantage of the accumulated knowledge and the simplifying effects that improved standards can offer.