CSS fluid columns, fixed margins; the holy grail of holy grails

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Update & Summary

I feel obligated to make this question clearer, now that there is a bounty attached.

(Also, I\'m pretty sure this will be child\'s

Answer 1

Check out thirtydot's answer in this thread for a pure CSS/HTML (Fluid layout with equally spaced "columns" without JavaScript)...

Fluid width with equally spaced DIVs

http://jsfiddle.net/thirtydot/EDp8R/

Modification of the JSFiddle demonstrates that the "columns" can be made to be different fixed widths and still have equal and fluid margins.

http://jsfiddle.net/EDp8R/43/

Then finally, another example using percentages while still maintaining equal and fluid margins.

http://jsfiddle.net/EDp8R/45/

I realize this may not be an exact solution but it gets you pretty close, I think.