| Though browser compatibility is an important part of | | | | create any problem. But in case of a complex design, |
| successful web design, I found that most of the | | | | lot of other things should be taken care of. Now, to |
| clients are ignorant of this fact. Throughout my | | | | the best of my ability I shall try to write down some |
| career in web development I found very few client | | | | suggestions for the site owners and the web |
| who mention this aspect in their requirement | | | | designers. It is nothing new; but may act as a |
| document. I shall not hold them solely responsible for | | | | reminder during the development process. |
| this. I came across many colleagues (web | | | | My suggestions for the website owners: It is a |
| programmers) in my tenure in the field of web design | | | | common practice for a good web development |
| who also do not take proper care of this aspect. | | | | company to make all the websites compatible to two |
| Now I shall explain the browser compatibility issue | | | | major browsers, named Internet Explorer and Mozilla |
| from my experience. Hope you will enjoy the reading | | | | Firefox. Still I like to say a few words to the |
| and it will be helpful for you in future. | | | | respectable site owners. |
| What happened when a viewer opens a web page? | | | | Don't forget to mention this aspect in your work |
| He sends the request to open a particular web page | | | | specifications document. |
| by giving the URL (universal resource locator) in the | | | | Set your target audience and try to anticipate their |
| form of " (http means hyper text transfer protocol | | | | browsing habits. Suppose your target audience is the |
| and protocol means rules) to the server via a | | | | viewers of Western Europe and there, viewers |
| software application. This software application is | | | | prefer Safari to IE or Mozilla. Then you have tell your |
| called the 'Browser'. Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, | | | | website designer to make it compatible to Safari and |
| Opera, Safari etc. are the examples of such | | | | at least another one of global acceptance like IE and |
| browsers. The browser connects the server through | | | | Mozilla. You may have your website compatible to |
| the Internet gateway. We send the request to the | | | | more than two browsers at time. But it may cost |
| modem through the computer's IP number. | | | | you few bucks more. |
| Modem sends the request to the ISP's (Internet | | | | My suggestion for the web developers: Even if your |
| Service Provider) IP number and finally connects it to | | | | client doesn't mention anything about the browser |
| the Domain Name Server (DNS), the server which | | | | compatibility or is ignorant of the fact totally, it is |
| keeps the mapping of the IP and the Domains). After | | | | your moral obligation to make it compatible to the |
| connecting the web page, ISP sends the contents of | | | | most frequently used version of IE and Mozilla (IE 6.0 |
| that web page to the requesting computer through | | | | & Mozilla 3.0). If the client is specific about his choice |
| the browser. Whatever may be the form of the info, | | | | of browsers then get relaxed. There are many tools |
| it comes in the form of html (hypertext mark-up | | | | available that will help you to make your Website |
| language) only and the browser converts this html to | | | | compatible to multiple browsers. Alternatively you can |
| normal output what we understand. That is why html | | | | download a version each of the browsers you need |
| is called a client side scripting language. So, a visitor | | | | and test your Web site in each of them. It is |
| can open a web page using any of the well-known | | | | important to know that most of the discrepancies |
| browsers he likes. The choice of the browser may | | | | you will find are because of the different ways the |
| vary according to the availability of the browser, | | | | browsers handle erroneous code. |
| using habit of the particular cluster of viewers etc. | | | | Always try to get the HTML coding of your website |
| Here lies the basic problem. Because each browser | | | | W3C validation by using validating tools. |
| does not read the HTML code in the same fashion | | | | Develop the web site of your client by setting your |
| and you, being the site owner, do not have any | | | | computer's resolution to 1024 pixels x 768 pixels. This |
| control on which Internet browser will be used to | | | | resolution is fairly common and should take care of |
| view your site. | | | | almost all your visitors, including those using wide |
| What may happen if a website is not built compatible | | | | screen monitors and laptops. |
| to multiple browsers? | | | | It is a common practice for the web programmers to |
| Non-compatibility to multiple browsers normally does | | | | apply CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) for designing |
| not effect the functionalities of a website. Rather it | | | | purposes. They develop many CSS classes that are |
| mostly affects the design view of a site, which | | | | applied to different HTML components. While creating |
| creates the first long lasting impression on a viewers | | | | a CSS class remember that a single CSS class may |
| mind. A website may be displayed perfectly in a | | | | behave differently in different browsers. So you |
| particular version of IE, but may look much different | | | | have to develop a CSS class in such a way, that in |
| in Fire fox and even in other versions of IE also. The | | | | different browsers the HTML output looks alike and |
| whole thing depends on the level of complexity of | | | | get it tested properly before implementation of the |
| the design. In case of simple designs, if some | | | | same. |
| conventions like W3C validation and standard | | | | Above all keep the design structure as simple as |
| resolution of 1024 pixels X 768 pixels are followed | | | | possible. It will help you to sort out the browser |
| during the development process, normally it does not | | | | compatibility factor easily. |