If my starting point had been some other site, I could have gone even more nuts with rearranging design elements. You don't need JavaScript. For many designs, you don't even need absolute positioning. But CSS and some server-side includes to insert the content of the navigation areas will get you a long way. Still waiting and working around Even in the latest browsers, there are some glitches.
Opera has some very odd interpretations of margins on floated elements.
Still, it will be a great day when we can use these CSS techniques with confidence. That day isn't here yet. And whether you realise it or not, so are you. She would like to thank Guy Hail, amongst others, for encouragement and ideas on the DIV-based MacEdition layout.