A simple diagram showing distinct elements of a web page

Markdown vs Textile... this is a tough one. I use both pretty regularly, and each has its perks and weaknesses.

When to Use Markdown

I usually choose Markdown over Textile when I'm:

• Jotting down general notes
• Drafting client proposals
• Reformatting HTML content

Markdown is much easier to read during editing, even without converting the document to HTML.

There's a line between embedding images in HTML and applying the image as a background image via CSS. I often see them used incorrectly.

It all comes back to semantic markup. Semantic refers to meaningful, logically arranged (X)HTML markup. The content on a webpage should be in semantic markup. It should be readable with or without stylesheets, or in a plain text browser.