[X-Newbies] I'm looking for a copy of IE 5...

[Tony Johansen]

On 10/9/2006 7:06 AM, "Richard Ramsowr" <r.ramsowr at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

It does
> however open on my dadÕs PS using you got it IE. So in
> my primitive mind set I figured I needed to get a copy
> of IE so I could deal with my client. By the way this
> client deals in browser software - go figure <grin>

There is a vast difference between IE for Windows and IE for Mac. As it is a
few years since the Mac version was updated it just cant deal with certain
modern javascripts and flash files amongst other things. I deal with it
these days by keeping a cheap old Windows PC beside me for the IE stuff. In
the last 12 months IE for Mac has really become fairly useless in many
situations. I use it for web design / testing so expose problems regularly.

I know there are many people out there with less rigorous usage of browsers
who don't experience problems yet. They will eventually, and it will become
more apparent as time goes by.
 
> Anyway after all my trouble IE still doesnÕt open the
> clientÕs site - just endless white space.
> 
> So maybe I should pick up a copy of Firefox and see
> what happens I used it before and it worked well but
> somehow I appreciate a browsers what was developed for
> the MAC - call me old fashioned!

Apple itself is serving us poorly at the moment. Of the commonly used
browsers, Safari, Opera, and IE:Mac seem to be the most troublesome at the
moment. As a long time Safari user I migrated all my bookmarks to Netscape
and made it my default recently. I hated doing it as I like Safari, but
there are just too many sites that Safari can't handle.

Firefox, and Netscape are the least troublesome options. Firefox is all the
rage currently, but I choose Netscape because of the built in WYSIWYG editor
(Composer). Poor old Netscape could compete as the ugliest browser ever
made, but it works well, but gets forgotten.

> 
> Is there something I need to tell the client they need
> to add to make their site more accessible us MAC folks
> - after all we are a growing breed these days

Same old rule as always: test on a variety of browsers and platforms. When
something doesn't work on a commonly used browser, then fix the site.
Although it holds the web back if we design totally for obsolete browsers.
(IE:Mac is rapidly entering that category) there has to be a balance here
that errs on the side of not excluding large groups of people.

 In the end when sites don't work on any of the major modern browsers
whichever platform then that comes down to only 3 things that reflect on the
designer: arrogance, thoughtlessness, and laziness. Put diplomatically: it
is the job of the designer to test to make certain they do not exclude
anybody. Put selfishly: Mac owners tend to spend more (they prove it by
spending more on their computer) even if a small portion of the market, can
their dollars really be ignored?

Another group that gets forgotten is the visually impaired. Alt tags on
images both help your search engine performance as well as helping those
with Braille browsing to understand what the pictures are depicting.

All the best

Tony
http://www.tonyjohansen.com
A Life Of Art