Probably a simple answer: easy div problem

Question

Hello,
I have a very easy problem but can't find the answer.  3 divs: 1 "wrapper" and 2 inside it (one left column, one right).  I want to get the CSS settings so that the left and right column are both the same length.  Right now they are on auto length and the left column is longer.  I tried to "fill out" the wrapper with the right column by setting the right column to 100% length, but now I realize the "wrapper" div is being shrink-wrapped around the shorter right column and is not stretching it.  I just want both columns to be as long as the (longer) left column.
Thanks!

Answer 1

First of all height: 100% doesn't work for divs usually. The height of the browswer window is very hard to fiigure out.
Second: http://matthewjamestaylor.com/blog/equal-height-columns-2-column.htm
SOmehow that layout works, and I don't qutie know how although it is a very simple layout.
Lastly,  I'll bust out the unorthodox, loathed answer that actually is fine unless you want to worry about various screen types or browsing devices: a table.
First, I will say that it is great that there is new CSS that allows divs to display as tables as Murray, I think, is saying. But with 10% of peple still using IE 6 and 10% using IE 7 (crazy, eh?), I don't think you can do away with support from IE 7 yet, even though we're just about up to 10 now.
Tables are the intuitive way to solve this if you are not concerned with separating content and organization, which good modern designers are usually concerned with:
<table class="content">
<tr>
<td>first column</td>
<td>second column</td>
</tr>
</table>
No fuss no muss. But if we can figure out how the two even length columns layout works above, I'd say that's the smart, modern way to deal with this.