Browsers are a serious issue that needs to be taken into consideration, not only from the viewpoint of a web design but also from the view of the web user. Browsers effect how we view the internet more than any other issue. Naturally, that's what there meant to do, hence the name browser. You make not think that you have a role to play in the development of the browsers, and hence the developement of the internet. However, your role in your choice of which browser you use, even if all the technical issues are way above your head is far more improtant than you can imagine.
Why? If we take you through a quick review of what has become known as the 'browser wars' you'll see why. Browsers, much like anything else, is a market where one company battles against another or many others for control of that market. Typically this is a battle that has been fought out between Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser and Netscape's Navigator. Currently and to the great demise of development Microsoft's IE browser is dominating this market (much like any other Microsoft product) with an 80% share. Netscape share is about 15% and the rest is shared between a multidude of browsers the most infamous of which is Opera. The present situation means that if Microsoft are not forced by market forces, namely us the users, to develop their browser then there not going to. What's more there not pushed so they won't develop. Who suffers? We do both designers and users.
So what can you do? It's easy to buy a computer, which naturally has a microsoft operating system and is so pre-packaged with it's IE browser and for you to use that as you don't have to do anything. Well one, as a choice of computers and operating systems, unless you need a microsoft system to do what you need a computer for I'd buy an Apple without even thinking about it. Two, if you do really need a microsoft system or can't afford buying a new computer, which lets face it is going to be quite a significant proportion of us why stick to your pre-chosen product of IE, chosen for us by the very so nice and lovely people at Microsoft! It only takes a few minutes to begin to download a new browser and a few more to then begin to use it having installed it. Result is Microsoft will begin to see some of there market slipping away and ultimately will have to do something about it.
So which should you choose, we'll anything really, anything but IE. That could be Netscapes Navigator which is a bit of an old dinosaur bit does it's job. Opera has a unique system that disables images at the touch of an icon. If you've a poor performing computer and / or still using a 4kb internet connection or just hate all those images this could be the one for you. The new kid of the block which is doing what a browser should be doing, that is trying to push the developement envelope is Firefox. Me I'd choose Firefox. If Firefox does get a significant share of the market then not only will Microsoft have to sit up and take note but all the others will also have to do so. Apart from the developement side which makes it easier for you to use - build in links to Yahoo, Google, Ebay and Amazon to name some. Also the next best thing about it is it's more akin to Naviagator then it is to IE. So even if you use the Navigator browser why not change to Firefox.
Why is development so important? It not only helps us developers (who's real sole responsibility is to you anyway) but will also liven up the web scene for you users - ease of use, speed, technology. So go on change your browser, refuse to be spoonfed and do it now. Go to either of these links, download and install:
Firefox
Netscape Navigator
Opera
When installed click on Tools then options then click the make whatever browser your default one and then there's nothing else you need do, it's that simple.
New problem
Well it's not a new problem it's the same old problem. One which we've talked about in other parts of our site, that is Internet Standards and Benchmarks. There is none, well there's three if we want to be precise but that's it.
The w3c are the people that are trying to bring some standards to the internet and generally after they say something the browsers companies create new browsers that in the main ignore the w3c and herein lies another problem. When pushed to develop, which the big two browsers have done when pushed by the market both Netscape and Microsoft have developed there browsers in totally opposite directions. This is a real problem for us developers as it makes it much harder to design sites and can leave a beautiful site on one browser looking like an ugly old hag on the other. It's also a real annoyance for you users as you can't view what you need to so you have to have the other browser installed and if you don't well basically your screwed.
This problem is no more evident in the old blink and marque tags. Blink tag well er blinks! Marquee scrolls text across. Both extremely annoying when used in the wrong context as you'll no doubt know. Blink never ever worked in IE and marquee never worked in Navigator up until recent versions that is. Again shows the lack of development gone into IE.
A side issue, but one that is important, is what do you the user do when you get these annoying tags in sites. If you really hate blink than I guess ultimately you can stick to IE (though I hate to say it!) and if you hate marquee then your really stuffed, having an old version of Navigator is the only way to avoid it unforturantely and you must really really hate it to do that. The responsibility is the web designers, namely us. We have to develop sites responsibly with the user in mind, however with every man and his dog claiming to be a 'professional web designer', well you can imagine... If your invaded by such a site either a blinking text in illuminous yellow or a line that looks like it's overdossed on amphetamines. One you'll probably scream at your screen something of the 'yes I've seen you now bugger off' variety or maybe something stronger. What you should do is mail the site something off the 'nice site, very informative but your blinking / scrolling text just does my head in. I suggest you remove it then I may think about viewing your site again' variety. If enough people suggested to me I changed my site then I'll probably be inclined to do it.
The best sites use the developments of the recent browsers so if you want to resolve the issue of seeing what your meant to see and not some gobbledy gook then check maybe once a month you have the latest browser. Firefox, again I harp on about development has a red circle with an upward pointing arrow (white) click on it and it checks for an update, now how hard is that - genius!
The best designers will create their sites in a way that you won't get to see the gobbledy gook. Even if this is so then you won't see it how the designer wants you to see it. Your browser, if it's out of date, always compromises your surfing experience. The only way to avoid this is use the latest browser. Bottom line is new browsers can show all off web sites created with old browsers in mind but old browsers make new looks sites at worst look like gobbledy gook
Gobbledy gook
Unfortunately if you check a website on every single browser under the sun then eventually you'll see something that resembles gobbledy gook, designing 100% browser compatible websites unfortunately is impossible 99.999..% is very possible 100% not unfortunately.
While us web desigers can pretty much get there, no web page looks precisely the same in any two browsers, there's always going to be something that's a milli meausrement different, you may not be able to see it with the naked eye, but the differance is there
The key is if you use an obscure browser have a major browser as back up for any goobledy gook that comes your way. Unfortunately designers have to design to accomodate their market, which is you, maybe not directly but the concensus of all web surfers. If you use an obscure browser you'll most likely see at best some, at worst plenty of obscure websites. The more obscure the browser the more likely your not going to view web pages as there meant to be seen. So should you dump your obscure browser. Not necessarily so, if we only stick to what we're given then the possibilty of something new and exciting coming on the scene is less and less likely. Firefox, or should that be 'Again Firefox', has been developed to be pretty much compatible with anything that's written with Navigator in mind which all decent web sites should be.
There's quite alot to think about whether your a user, designer or even develolper and particularly if you work for a Mr Bill Gates<./p>
So to sum up four things in general:
So why the anti-Microsoft stance?
Well we here at Vertigo are not anti-Microsoft. Microsoft have brought alot of innvoation to their industries. After all Bill Gates was the first person to foresee where the future of computers would be, software not hardware. While other flailing giants have slipped, eg IBM, Microsoft have engineered an entire market that they have come to dominate - to us this makes sense even if you could say this isn't particularly good, maybe but that is economics, macro economics and marketing. We also like Bill Gates, after all someone who gives away a significant amount of their fortune to others can't be that bad. Even today he's given away £14 million to fight malaria.
However, in the same market we have Apple, a similar company to Microsoft in some if not all measures. If not quite as huge they have the foresight to see how there market is developing. Unlike Microsoft however Apple 'want' to be the cool company doing the latest cool innovation ie ipod, however huge Apple become they'll always be seen as the 'cool' people, that is ultimately what they do - make cool things.
To Microsoft's detriment they are happy to sit on the development fence and rule there market with an iron rod. Not that this is all there fought. We the consumer like to have a big moan about them but seem happy to use their products when valid alternatives are on the market and not just browsers. We can force Microsoft's hand by changing our browser and also using things like i-tunes and quicktime rather than windows media player if we wanted to. If your thinking about having a web site then choose a php based system rather than Mircosoft alternative. So what does the future hold? The choice is yours?