Proper definition for “tabular data” in HTML

Question

I have a pedantic argument that needs resolution.

As a proper koolaid drinker when it comes to HTML, I\'m all about semantic markup. As a result, of course I hate to

Answer 1

Wikipedia has some down-to-earth rules in its internal article-writing guidelines. They're far from an exhaustive definition but work well in real-world use IMO.

• When tables are appropriate
• When tables may not be appropriate

The whole definition is worth reading, but one paragraph strikes me as especially nice:

Before you format a list in table form, consider whether the information will be more clearly conveyed by virtue of having rows and columns. If so, then a table is probably a good choice. If there is no obvious benefit to having rows and columns, then a table is probably not the best choice.