Displaying of CSS in older browsers (<=IE5.0, <=NN4.78)

Hi,

I'm working on a full CSS-based layout:
http://www3.telus.net/mguzman/testnewsite/

I just have a few questions though.

Obviously, NN4, being the .... browser that it is won't really display CSS correctly at all - I've stuck in a DIV that is hidden using CSS that basically tells the user to upgrade to Mozilla or Opera. Is this considered good practice and professional?

How else can one deal with standards-incompliant browsers like NN or IE?

Please keep in mind that this layout may be used as a design for a business.

Also, in IE 5.0 (5.5 seems okay) and IE 4.x, the page displays *mostly* correctly, except that the DIV with the content is shifted down till after the floated left menu. Any suggestions on how this can be solved while still maintaining compatibility with other platforms?

In NN 6, it appears that the background (and/or background-image) CSS properties aren't supported. Generally, how is this issue dealt with?

Thanks so much! ^^

there are a few hacks out there like the import hack and the caio hack that may be of interest for you if you are (god forbid) expecting an audience of NN4

good lucky!!