Check your browser compatability before you submit

[Mel]

HI All:

Although IE is the most prevalent browser out there, there are still plenty of users for Netscape and other browsers. Until IE and Netscape can agree on standards we will have to live with this.

The editors at Yahoo and Netscape both use Netscape to view your site, so you should make sure that your site looks good in Netscape 4.04. Common problems are that different fonts are displayed and the alignment runs either right or left.

A good fix for these problems is to use a CSS stylesheet which specifies the font sizes in pixels rather than points or sizes and will also control the indents.

Don't have ready copies of all the various browsers to check out how your site fares?

Visit NetMechanic at http://www.netmechanic.com/browser-index.htm where for $15 you can get a report showing how your site looks in 15 different browser and screen size combinations.

[I.Q. bandit]

Here's a on-line tool I came across in my internet adventures that checks browser compatibility in:

Netscape Navigator 4.0 1

Netscape Navigator 3.0 3

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 1

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 3

America Online 3.0 3

America Online 4.0 0

WebTV

And checks some other things too. I think it's a little out-dated, but it is free. :)

http://websitegarage.netscape.com

I've read many times that simply filling in an alt="blah blah" tag improves compatibility as well.

I would imagine people that are color blind whom browse the web find sites that use this tag extremely easier to navigate.

[ihelpyou]

Thanks for the tips!

Maybe one day IE and Netscape will get their stuff together..... no, don't think so unless they merge.

[Blue]

Let's don't forget that there are plenty of users out there on alternative browsers, such as college kids on text only browsers and the physically impaired that use special browsers. For those who need or want to design for these types, here is an excellent resource:

http://browserwatch.internet.com/

There's an article there indicating that Netscape might possibly drop their active development of their browser!

And back on topic, here's where you can get new browsers (http://www.upsdell.com/BrowserNews/find.htm) and here's where you can get old browsers (http://www.upsdell.com/BrowserNews/find_old.htm).

[JuniorHarris]

Thanks for the reminder Blue and the browser links!~

[countrycat]

I'm intrigued by the statement that Yahoo editors use NS to evaulate pages. It's the first time I've heard that.

Is that common knowledge? How do you know?

If it's true, then browser compatibility (especially for commercial sites) is critical to success. Many webmasters view it as optional because "everyone uses Explorer" - or so they think.

[Alan Perkins]

Welcome to the forums, countrycat :hi:
Is that common knowledge?Yes

How do you know?Very common reason for rejection.

Browser compatibility (especially for commercial sites) is critical to successAbsolutely!

[MsSearch]

Welcome countrycat :hi:

the 'everyone uses IE' is a common misconception....as you read thru the forums you will find some anti-IE members here...

As for Yahoo, editors check browser compatibility with IE and Netscape 4.#...

[ihelpyou]

Welcome to the forums CountryCat! :hi:

Oh yes. Very well known reason for a site being rejected. Also, my logs indicate that about 15% of visitors use Netscape. This is quite substantial actually. If a site turns away those visitors it could be very detrimental to the success of the site.

[SubmissoR]

The editors at Yahoo and Netscape both use Netscape to view your site

Netscape has editors? Do you mean Looksmart?