Is it really best to make site without using <div>, using semantic tags only?

Question

I found this on net in google search

and see article here: http://www.thatcssguy.com/limit-your-divs/

See his final layout here: http://www.nodivs.com/

Some quotes from article

1

When I limited the use of my divs all the major browser including both IE6 and IE7 would render the sites nearly perfectly. Or with very little fixes needed.

2

it’s magic but proves divs nor tables are necessary for layout

Should we try to make sites like this?

Answer 1

The article makes a number of good points on how to avoid "divitis", i.e. the usage of div elements where there would be a semantically more fitting element. But this:

When I limited the use of my divs all the major browser including both IE6 and IE7 would render the sites nearly perfectly. Or with very little fixes needed.

is total bullcrap. DIVs are perfectly valid container elements and make sense in a lot of situations. Only where there is a semantically more suitable element (e.g. ul in an unordered list like a menu, h1 h2 h3 for headings, ol for ordered lists) is it wrong to use a div, as it is usually wrong to use a table for layout.

What the author of the site you mention does is blatantly misusing other elements like dl (definition lists) as surrogates of div elements, something that is as idiotic as misusing divs as surrogates for ul ol etc. Look at the W3C's definition of ul, ol, and dl lists and consider for yourself whether those elements are supposed to do layout tasks like the author does use them for.

As far as I can see, the insinuation that not using divs somehow makes sites render better cross-browser is utter humbug. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can not think of one single instance where this holds true.