style sheet warnings.. what do they really want

hi.. I just ran my stylesheet through the validator.. and it validated
but I got a ton of warnings, which I assume means something else would
be preferred, but I can't figure out what... like.. why should anyone
care if I have no background color on my 1st level headings? and if
offering a font family is the last alternative, what is the first?? I
don't want to have Times New Roman for my whole page...

advice? Helen

here is my styesheet

h1 {
font: 36px bold;
color: #A52A2A; /*Brown*/
text-align: center;
font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold";
}

h2 {
font: 30px bold;
color: #A52A2A; /*Brown*/
font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold";
}

h3 {
font: 26px bold;
color: #A52A2A; /*Brown*/
font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold";
}

body {
font-size: 20px;
background: #FAEBD7; /*AntiqueWhite*/
margin-left: 26px;
margin-right: 26px;
font-family: "Bookman OldStyle";
}

table {
background: #F5DEB3; /*Wheat*/
margin-right: 20px;
}

a {text-decoration: none; }
a:link {color: #000000} /*black*/
a:visited {color: #808080} /*Gray*/
a:active {color: #C71585} /*MediumVioletRed*/
a.fancy {text-decoration: underline; }


here are my warnings..

* Line : 2 font-family: You are encouraged to offer a generic
family as a last alternative
* Line : 3 (Level : 1) You have no background-color with your color
: h1
* Line : 5 font-family: You are encouraged to offer a generic
family as a last alternative
* Line : 5 (Level : 2) Redefinition of font-family : h1
* Line : 5 (Level : 2) font-family: You are encouraged to offer a
generic family as a last alternative : h1
* Line : 9 font-family: You are encouraged to offer a generic
family as a last alternative
* Line : 10 (Level : 1) You have no background-color with your
color : h2
* Line : 11 font-family: You are encouraged to offer a generic
family as a last alternative
* Line : 11 (Level : 2) Redefinition of font-family : h2
* Line : 11 (Level : 2) font-family: You are encouraged to offer a
generic family as a last alternative : h2
* Line : 15 font-family: You are encouraged to offer a generic
family as a last alternative
* Line : 16 (Level : 1) You have no background-color with your
color : h3
* Line : 17 font-family: You are encouraged to offer a generic
family as a last alternative
* Line : 17 (Level : 2) Redefinition of font-family : h3
* Line : 17 (Level : 2) font-family: You are encouraged to offer a
generic family as a last alternative : h3
* Line : 22 (Level : 1) You have no color with your
background-color : body
* Line : 25 font-family: You are encouraged to offer a generic
family as a last alternative
* Line : 25 (Level : 2) font-family: You are encouraged to offer a
generic family as a last alternative : body
* Line : 29 (Level : 1) You have no color with your
background-color : table
* Line : 34 (Level : 1) You have no background-color with your
color : a:link
* Line : 35 (Level : 1) You have no background-color with your
color : a:visited
* Line : 36 (Level : 1) You have no background-color with your
color : a:active

Helen Martin wrote:
> hi.. I just ran my stylesheet through the validator.. and it validated
> but I got a ton of warnings, which I assume means something else would
> be preferred, but I can't figure out what... like.. why should anyone
> care if I have no background color on my 1st level headings? and if
> offering a font family is the last alternative, what is the first?? I
> don't want to have Times New Roman for my whole page...
>
> advice? Helen
>
> here is my styesheet
>
> h1 {
> font: 36px bold;
> color: #A52A2A; /*Brown*/
> text-align: center;
> font-family: "Arial Rounded MT Bold";
> }

ok.. I've been reading this and reading it and I'm starting to get some
of it.. they want me to put the font stuff all on one line.. like this..


h1 {
font: 36px "Arial Rounded MT Bold";
font-weight: bold;
color: #A52A2A; /*Brown*/
text-align: center;
}

and I think the warning about last alternatives means they want me to
offer one in case the person doesn't have Arial..

so.. is there a list someone of "safe fonts" that one could use for
those alternatives..

however, I still don't understand why the warning about background color..


> * Line : 2 font-family: You are encouraged to offer a generic family
> as a last alternative
> * Line : 3 (Level : 1) You have no background-color with your color


Helen