A Farewell to CSS3 Gradients

A Farewell to CSS3 Gradients:

Alex Walker:

While the idea of programmable gradients is great, using them is seriously messy. Even in perfect-​​browser-​​utopia, gradients are consciously limited to rudimentary linear or radial application. You certainly can't combine them, or make them contour a shape or anything useful like that….

In short, [CSS gradients are] a blunt instrument with cranky syntax and patchy support.

Alternate title to Alex's article: "SVG Might Be a More Extensible Alternative." Read on for solid tutorial on using SVG for gradients (though, admittedly, it's tough to envision SVG as an alternative for something as simple as button gradients).