Screencast: A CSS Framework that is actually a framework.

Hour long video behind the submitted link. Some bite-sized info about Compass for those who don't want to watch the whole thing:<p>With Compass, you write your styles in Sass which is compiled to CSS. This helps with code reuse and general cleanliness, not unlike the tool demo'd in the Reddit keynote at PyCon.<p>You can use Compass to create CSS styles on top of a framework like BluePrint or YUI, which is why Compass calls itself a meta-framework.<p>Website: <a href="http://compass-style.org/" rel="nofollow">http://compass-style.org/</a><p>More Info: <a href="http://wiki.github.com/chriseppstein/compass" rel="nofollow">http://wiki.github.com/chriseppstein/compass</a>

Great link. If you haven't checked this out, do so. I've been using SASS for about 2 years and Compass for about 6 months now and its completely changed that way I do CSS development.<p>Chris Eppstein is doing amazing work. I think it'll revolutionize how web stylesheets are built.

I used Compass + 960.gs on a recent project. It took me a while to understand, but once I got it, I really saw the value. Simply put, it makes producing good looking websites easier. I particularly like the helpers provided in the Utilities Module:<p><a href="http://wiki.github.com/chriseppstein/compass/compass-core-utilities-module" rel="nofollow">http://wiki.github.com/chriseppstein/compass/compass-core-ut...</a><p>I actually find Sass more useful than Haml. I find Haml gets in my way too much, and I'd rather do things in ERB.

Hour long video explains what I could have picked up in 10 minutes of reading.<p>SASS looks like it could have been so much more. Its syntax differs from CSS in ways that it doesn't need to (specifically, requiring newlines and prohibiting multiple rules or selectors on a single line), and the lack of local variable also decreases one's mobility with the tool.<p>It's a good start, but it could have been so much better.

I see the advantages to having CSS variables and all, but can anyone tell me why this (Sass/Compass) would be any better than me defining variables (like grid widths/colors/etc..) in something like PHP, running it through a CSS document and outputting that document as a CSS file?

Coincidentally I'm watching Reddit's keynote from PyCon and they wrote their own CSS compiler called C55. Their keynote is at <a href="http://blip.tv/file/1951296/" rel="nofollow">http://blip.tv/file/1951296/</a> and the slides at (starting with slide 29) <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/kn0thing/ride-the-snake-reddit-keynote-pycon-09?type=powerpoint" rel="nofollow">http://www.slideshare.net/kn0thing/ride-the-snake-reddit-key...</a><p>The thing I like most about what they've done is to embed the functionality into CSS, rather than writing a new meta-language.

pretty interesting. blueprint and sass is a worthwhile combination i wouldn't fight. otherwise, i'd hesitate to use one or another as a standalone tool. haml(unrelated here) is the exception.