Examples like this are what the display: table-cell; property was specifically created for. By incorporating the formatting in the stylesheet instead of the markup, you can rest assured that everything is under control. So take a deep breath and relax!

Imagine a world where every layout could effortlessly be achieved using pure css, no tables or makeshift solutions required. While this may be the ideal scenario, sometimes exceptions arise and we must make do with what is currently available. Remember, the ultimate goal is to provide a seamless experience for your users, rather than strictly adhering to a specific design principle.

The issue with utilizing table tags for content that is not tabular in HTML is that it enforces formatting on what should simply be data.

By managing your table styling with CSS, your HTML remains semantically correct. Personally, I believe as long as your HTML is semantically accurate, how you enhance its appearance using CSS is entirely up to you, and I don't think your existential concerns are warranted.

As a side note, I have a strong suspicion that IE 6 does not support display:table-cell, so depending on your target audience, you may need to seek alternative solutions.

Utilizing the display:table property works well when considering semantics. The popular notion that "tables are bad" stems from the idea that HTML markup should accurately represent the content it contains. If the content is not tabular data, then it shouldn't be placed in a table.

When you're simply adjusting how the markup appears (within a table structure), using display:table is absolutely appropriate.

It's important to note, however, that this may not be compatible with all web browsers. Specifically, IE6 and IE7 (and IE8 in "compatibility mode") may struggle to render this properly.

To learn more about different display types and browser compatibility, check out the following resource: http://www.example.com/css/display.html

Have you ever considered using display:table for creating auto-width columns?

I prefer avoiding css float because I need the columns to adjust their size based on available space.

Another approach you could use is utilizing flex properties. Let's delve into that:

In CSS3, a new set of properties was introduced under the umbrella term 'flex' which allows for flexible divs without relying on tables or display: table. This is particularly useful for users with smaller screens such as mini laptops, tablets, or large smartphones like the Galaxy series. Here are the key properties:

• Parent.
  • The main container where all child elements reside. For example, imagine a basic web page structure with three divs (one containing main information, another serving as a sidebar, and a wrapper for both).
  • display: flex: indicates that we are working with flexible items. Prefix with -webkit- for Google and Safari compatibility. No need for -moz-, -o-, or -ms-.
  • flex-direction: determines how the children elements are oriented within the parent. Options include row, column, row-reverse, or column-reverse. Since you want a main div and a sidebar, 'column' would be suitable. Use -moz- and -webkit- for broader support.
  • justify-content: controls alignment along the X-axis. Choices include flex-start, flex-end, space-between, space-around, flex-center. Consider using the fourth or fifth options.
• Child.
  • In this context, 'child' refers to either main (not recommended) or div class="main" and aside or div class="sidebar".
  • order: rearranges the order of divs, disregarding code order. Specify values using -moz- and -webkit- prefixes.
  • flex-grow: dictates how much a child element can expand compared to others, influenced by its value and other children's settings. Don't forget -webkit- & -moz-.

For more details, refer to: http://css-tricks.com/snippets/css/a-guide-to-flexbox/ and http://www.w3schools.com/cssref/default.asp#flexible.

Furthermore, yes, you can utilize this method. Check out: http:/www.w3.org/TR/css3-flexbox/#intro. It explains

table layout, designed for laying out 2D data in a tabular format

This approach doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad idea; it simply adapts the layout in a way that mimics a table format.

Interestingly, the use of display: table may become a widely accepted solution in upcoming times.

Check out:

display: table-cell

In terms of styling, 'display: table-cell' is not the same as a traditional table structure like this:

<table>
   <tbody>
       <tr>
          <td>
          </td>
       </tr>
   </tbody>
</table>

Personally, I believe it's acceptable to use 'display: table-cell' for certain layout needs.

And actually, tables aren't as bad as some people make them out to be.

For displaying tabular data, I actually prefer using tables over a "div" structure. One reason is that users can easily copy and paste the data into a spreadsheet from their browser, which is quite convenient and saves time. Plus, it helps reduce page load by avoiding features like "download as excel" or "download as csv". Also, different browsers tend to display tables consistently.

Allow me to simplify things for you.

In the past, the element was popular due to its charms, leading everyone to use it. But as Semantics evolved, we realized we were overly focused on Syntax. Decisions were made, resulting in XHTML 2.0 being discarded and HTML5 being adopted. Delving into the history of WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group) can help clarify these concepts.

The rationale behind removing certain elements from HTML was that they were meant for styling rather than structuring, which goes against the purpose of HTML.

HTML is intended for structuring a webpage, while CSS handles the styling of that structure. This led to the removal of elements like and , which were primarily used for styling instead of structuring.

To address the fate of the element, it was decided to keep it in the specifications since tables are essential for structuring, but similar capabilities should be added to CSS to shift the focus of web designers towards using CSS for styling elements.

Now, the HTML element serves solely for structuring tables. If you wish to style a table, you can use the CSS property display:table;, allowing you to modify and control elements as needed. For example, in Responsive Web Design (RWD), you can specify elements to change their display from table to block or any other format.