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View Full Version : Thoughts on Multiple Browsers!

Crash1hd
09-23-2003, 12:30 PM
So I realize its almost impossible to make a website that does anything to be completly multi browser compatable so what is the general feeling from the community when it comes to trying to make things browser compatable do we just go with the newest versions! and anything older then the end user should upgrade?

For example everyone assumes that you have the latest version of IE but for netscape people are trying to make it 4.76 and 7 compatable? however I have noteced that there is a 4.78 and a 4.8 version? and I have seen javascripts that work for say 4.78 and not for 4.76 so do we say If it doesnt work for 4.76 then the user should upgrade to 4.78 and if so how do we tell them!

What would be the easiest way or script to say hey your browser is out of date please upgrade or continue with warning that this site may not fully work!
Caffeine
09-23-2003, 01:32 PM
I think this page is a great read, it helped me when I had the same questions!

A List Apart: To Hell With Bad Browsers (http://www.alistapart.com/stories/tohell/)


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EDIT:
Personally, I design my pages with a focus on getting them to look the same as much as possible in IE6, Mozilla 1.4 and Opera 7.11, after that I check the pages in IE5.5 and make the dirty workarounds.
Catman
09-23-2003, 03:13 PM
I use a simple style sheet as the default -- nothing but a bit of subtle color to make headings stand out a bit more clearly from normal text. It's pretty much plain XHTML plus just a bit. Folks using browsers which don't handle CSS at all see just the plain XHTML layout without any frills.

I also use javascript to sniff for browser type and version -- and those browsers/versions which I know can handle the more complex page layout get a different, more complex style sheet. I try to keep the design simple so that there are only a few minor javascript tweaks needed to achieve cross-browser compatibility (mostly for odd IE behaviors, such as applying margin settings differently when an element's overflow is set to auto). People who turn javascript off get the simple layout.

Lastly, I provide a mechanism for turning off styles. Yes, there are browsers which allow folks to do that, but I've never been a big fan of depending on browser functions -- let's just say I've learn to not overestimate the abilities of my visitors.
bcarl314
09-23-2003, 03:48 PM
Originally posted by Crash1hd
So I realize its almost impossible to make a website that does anything to be completly multi browser compatable...

No it's not. I'll put one right here...


<html>
<head>
<title>Cross browser website</title>
</head>
<body>
<a href="./index.html">Hello World!</a>
</body>
</html>


Now I guarantee that's cross-browser compatible all the way back to version 1 of IE and NN! :D

Of course everything beyond that, you statement is true.

I basically charge clients for backwards compatibility beyond a certain point. I'll code XHTML and make sure it works in NN7, IE5.5+, MOZ 1.4 + and Opera 7+, but after that, it's extra. I tell them that the above covers about 90 - 95% of all visitors and that I can code a site to have a similar display in older browsers, but it will be additional.

I use the @import in css to handle older browsers, since they will not use the css with that. (don't understand it) and then they see the "no frills" content.
Vladdy
09-23-2003, 03:59 PM
"Compatible website" is not the one that looks the same in the handful of graphical browsers, but the one that adequately delivers the content regardless what user agent is.
If you separate content from presentation by coding your site in (X)HTML Strict and apply media dependent stylesheets your site WILL BE compatible with ALL browsers.
liorean
09-23-2003, 03:59 PM
Well, if you code something for moz/op7/saf, and it displays the same, you might have to tweak it a bit, but ie6w is easy to get it to work for as well. Ie5m and ie5.5w mean a bit more tweaking, and ie5w might need some work. Others, including ie4 and nn4, are extra. They require no modest amount of work.
zoobie
09-25-2003, 04:07 AM
With over 45 browsers out there and several more on the way, I'd say you have your work cut out for you...
PS - Fred's browser is the best!:D