harbormoon.com's Guide To BETTER Web Pages

With all the choices in web browser technology, it's foolish that some designers feel compelled to create web pages that are "optimized" for their favorite browser and display settings. Then, they have the audacity to ask that you conform to their standards. There are two reasons that I can think of that they do this. One, they believe that most of the people who browse the World Wide Web have, by now, similar systems and use the popular browsers. Second, they feel no need to try and set up a site that can be viewed by anyone, i.e., they're lazy.

Frankly, I'm surprised they stop there. Maybe they should also tell people to wear name-brand sneakers, drive expensive cars, and listen to classic rock. Furthermore, why not tell them that they don't accomodate those who own yellow ties, ride a bicycle to work, and prefer jazz? Well, maybe I'm getting extreme, but my point is that people use the software they use either because of system limitations or personal preference. Since you are trying to get them to visit your site, you should realize that you must cater to them, and not the opposite. You should not welcome people to your site with a choice of all or none. A platform independent, non-browser specific Internet site will give an advantage to those companies and individuals that take this course and avoid the easy "solution" to the problem.

When producing an online publication, you do not need to satisfy everyone, but you'd better make a valiant effort to satisfy most of your viewers. The best defense against browser dependency is to test your pages over and over in many different settings. What does it look like in both Netscape and Internet Explorer? What does it look like with the images turned off? What if the person prefers a certain font, text and background color, and link colors, and overrides your document-specific fonts and colors? Will people without Java or Javascript capabilities still enjoy your site? Have you looked at it on a Mac or an X-window system? While you may not have the time or the resources to check every possibility, making an effort will pay off in the long run by attracting customers with different configurations to your site.

BROWSER DEPENDENCE