Why do HUGELY popular web sites have HTML Validation Errors?

Question

I ran a validation check on Google.com and Yahoo.com. Each has about 50 Validation errors.
Amazon has over a THOUSAND !
WTF?! How is it possible? Aren't these guys supposed to set the standard?

Answer 1

I think this is because of the usability and accessibility differences.
Generally speaking to make a site more accessible, so that more users can use it with different browsers, different versions and through different devices, regardless of 'ability', if your HTML code is valid, it will be more accessible.
However like you say, Google, Yahoo, Amazon - at the moment are easy to use and move around , have a nice 'look and 'feel' and provide a quick level of service that an online user wants. So they score on the usability side and because they provide some of the most popular services, people with accessibility challenges, will still try and use them, but they will not find it too easy !
The larger the site is, the more challenging it is to make it accessible, I'm sure Google, Yahoo and Amazon are working on these things including valid code - who knows in the future they may be the leaders on accessibility.

Its not just valid HTML that will make them accessible too, but seeing the progress that websites have made in recent years, it would be a shame if compromises were made on the HTML which results in people's website experiences being good or bad as a result.

Answer 2

What is the flipping hang up you have with validating HTML???
Any HTML validation program you use is subject to the same issues the sites you are happily validating. They may be using a slightly different standard. The validation program may be wrong. Various other factors.
Just relax, take a deep breath and don't worry about it!

Answer 3

The validation checks are for an ideal webpage with coding exactly as HTML should be coded. It is not the only way it will work though.