Thats the trouble with html it's not always just about appearance. You know I'm sure I read somewhere that forms will be extended to include validation using xml schmas can't quite remember.

I do recognise that javascript and html validation usually creeps into templates and thus puts logic and code into them.

You can usually use file includes to extract most of the javascript out though and generate form fields server side using CGI.pm.

I know maxsize annoys me if it truncates my form input so yep you should usually tell the user on client side with javascript.