Così è come appare il mio html o jsp che dir si voglia, non pensate agli include che non sono rilevanti(dentro le pagine incluse non ci sono div)
codice:
 
<body>
        <div id="container">
            <div id="intro">
                <div id="quickSummary"></div>
                <div id="preamble">
                    <jsp:include page="/jsp/header.jsp" flush="true"/>
                </div>
            </div>
            <div id="supportingText">
                <div id="requirements">
                    <div id="info">
                        <jsp:include page="/jsp/info.jsp" flush="true"/>
                    </div>
                </div>
                <div id="explanation">
                    <jsp:include page="/html/chisiamo.html" flush="true"/>
                </div>
                <div id="footer">
                  <jsp:include page="/jsp/footer.jsp" flush="true" />
                </div>
            </div>

            <div id="linkList">
                <div id="linkList2">
                    <div id="lselect">
                        <jsp:include page="/jsp/menu.jsp" flush="true"/>
                        <jsp:include page="/jsp/login.jsp" flush="true"/>
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </body>
</html>
e il mio css

codice:
body {background:#FFFFFF url(images/pat1.png) repeat-x; font:12px "Trebuchet MS", verdana, arial, sans-serif; color:#606060;}
#container {background:#AFC8EB; width:765px; margin:0 auto;border: 1px solid Highlight;}
#quickSummary{background:url(images/studiotocci2.png) no-repeat center;width: 500px; height: 100px;}

#preamble { padding-top:5px;}
#preamble ul {list-style: none; padding:6px 3em;margin:0;text-align:right;	}
#preamble ul li { padding:5px 0;margin:0;display:inline;} 
#preamble ul li.nascosto { display:none }
#preamble ul li a { text-decoration:none;padding:5px 10px 5px 10px;background:transparent;color:#009;}
#preamble ul li a:visited { background:transparent;color:#009 }
#preamble ul li a:hover { background:#ffffff ;color:#000000; }
#preamble ul li#voisietequi a { background:#fff;color:#009;padding-bottom:6px }
#preamble ul { position:relative;top:1px }

#supportingText {float:right; width:593px; line-height:22px; text-align:justify;border: 2px solid red;}
#supportingText ul {list-style-type:none;}

#info a:link {display:block; backgroung: #AFC8EB; text-decoration:none;padding-left: 5px;border: 1px solid white;}
#info a:visited {display:block; backgroung: #AFC8EB; text-decoration:none;padding-left: 5px;border: 1px solid white;}
#info a:hover {color:#000000; background:#FFFFFF; }

#info h3 {position:relative; width:155;}
#info ul {padding-top:1px;}
#info li {padding-bottom:1px;}

#explanation {float:left;background: white; width:425px; line-height:22px; text-align:justify;border: 2px solid red;}
#explanation h3 span {display:none;} 
#explanation h3 {position:relative; width:425px; height:28px;}

#participation {background: url(participation_btrflys.gif) bottom left no-repeat;}
#participation h3 span {display:none;} 
#participation h3 {position:relative; background-image:url(participation_hdr.gif); width:425px; height:37px;}

#requirements {float:right;backgroung: #AFC8EB; width:155px; color:#009; font-size:11px; padding-left: 5px; border: 2px solid black;}

#footer {position:relative; font-size: 14px; text-align:center;background:url(footer_bg.gif) no-repeat; width:543px; height:35px; padding-top:63px;}
#footer a:link {color: #c20000; font-weight:bolder; text-decoration:none; border:0;}
#footer a:visited {color:#c20000; font-weight:bolder;}
#footer a:hover {color:#f33; border:0;}

#linkList {float:left;background:url(images/Service.png) no-repeat;  backgroung: #AFC8EB; width:155px; color:#009; font-size:11px;padding: .1em ;border: 2px solid black;}
#linkList ul {list-style-type:none;}

#lselect a:link {display:block; backgroung: #AFC8EB; text-decoration:none;padding-left: 5px;border: 1px solid white;}
#lselect a:visited {display:block; backgroung: #AFC8EB; text-decoration:none;padding-left: 5px;border: 1px solid white;}
#lselect a:hover {color:#000000; background:#FFFFFF; }

#linkList2 li {padding:0 5px ; }
#linkList2 {bottom no-repeat; padding:3em 0 0 0 ;}

#lselect h3 {position:relative; width:155;}
#lselect ul {padding-top:1px;}
#lselect li {padding-bottom:1px;}
i problemi sono sotanzialmente 2:

1) il container in firefox è alto solo quanto #quickSummary cioè solo 100px mentre in explorer ha la grandezza dinamica che vorrei in base ai contenuti(è grande come tutta la pagina per intenderci)

2) il footer in explorer è in fondo alla pagina mentre in firefox lo trovo sotto il div #requirements



se riusciste ad aiutarmi ve ne sarei davvero grato..
non mastico molto questi css ma mi serve un sito accessibile e soprattutto validato...