Internet Explorer doesn’t treat html and css the same way other browsers, like FireFox and Opera, do. It would seem that Micro$lop never saw the need to use the same industry standards that other programs do.
What does this mean to you and your little site? Unfortunately, it means that, even though your gray text looks perfectly on the dark background you’ve chosen when you view it in Internet Explorer, in FireFox, it’s virtually unreadable. Or your columns that display at just the exact right width in Opera are far too narrow in IE.
What is there to do about it?
Until the rest of the world abandons Internet Explorer for real browsers that work properly and are secure… 
There are a few things that can be done.
One of them would be to test your site in not just one browser, but several. Get a better idea what your site looks like to other people.
Educate yourself. Visit sites like WebCredible or Stylegala and browse. Or go to the links page on Holy CSS Zeldman! and spend, oh, an aeon. But hey, you’d probably walk out knowing a whole heck of a lot.
Looking for a good laugh at IE in all of its css buggy glory? Then Position Is Everything is for you!
Even better, go to their home page and learn about some obtuse CSS bugs in modern browsers, and learn how to "make it work" without using tables for layout purposes. Which is what I need.
I could have used this site like, oh, a year ago. But now that I have it, I can learn how to fix my workarounds better.
If you want to totally geek out, well, you probably already know where to look. :p For the mini geeks who want to geek out, try MSDN. There’s also info on long term css hacks all over the place.
For fun, also check out Zen Garden. Ah, a delightful, peaceful demonstration of css based design.
Oh good heavens! Does this mean I no longer have any excuse? What have I done??????????
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Hi! Marti (the hillbilly LOL) from AW.
I wish I understood more about CSS, especially how they use it in WordPress. I was at Blogger, but it was so frustrating, I decided to get my own domain, and other bloggers suggested using WordPress. I would like to make changes to it but it is so darned complicated!
Anyway, nice to meet you – I am trying to visit other bloggers from AW. Thank you for all the great information in your post, maybe it will help me.
Welcome, Marti the hillbilly!
Here’s the thing – none of us knew anything about CSS in the beginning. We were all beginners. All of us. It’s only by reading and immersing ourselves in this stuff that we begin to learn and understand it. And, ya know, ya gotta start somewhere.
If you’re having any problems with your blog, you can also ask in the blogging forum at Absolute Write – we do get a fair number of technical questions and there’s usually at least somebody who knows the answer.
Thanks for commenting.