The issue is people taking “tables are bad for non-tabular layout” and just remembering the first three words. People like stark binary yes/no rules, so “tables are bad” was born and spread widely.
If your layout is intended to be a table, then a table (styled with CSS) is the way to go, otherwise use semantic HTML (styled with CSS) and you will (in theory) have an easier time making the design work well at different sizes/resolutions and in alternate UAs like screen readers.
Exactly this. People need to think critically and not just blindly follow whatever some popular bloggers are saying.
It's the same today though - half of HN is utterly convinced rebellious technologies like HTMX are going to save us from the evil of front-end libraries. People adopt guides or entire technologies without ever actually building something significant with them.
If your layout is intended to be a table, then a table (styled with CSS) is the way to go, otherwise use semantic HTML (styled with CSS) and you will (in theory) have an easier time making the design work well at different sizes/resolutions and in alternate UAs like screen readers.