How to use templates?

I was wondering if I was doing it all wrong not using a template class such as HTML_Template_IT for the layout on the site I'm developing. Currently I have a top-include and a bottom-include sortof thing that just prints out the top layout and the bottom layout and then in between those I have the text for the current page. <? $head = "testpage"; print_layout_top($head); echo "This is a testpage"; ... $signature = "Last updated by .."; print_layout_bottom($signature); ?> Is anyone using the templates for this sort of thing ? Looking at the example for HTML_Template_IT on pear.php.net gives me the feeling that it's doing the same thing as I could do with HTML_Table .. am I misunderstanding anything ? Hoping for a reply. Birgir