With the rapid growth of internet, there is a parallel growth in the number of Browsers. So, this article explains the importance of web browser compatibility and why you should get your website made compatible with all major web browsers.
Opera The Opera browser sings to a tune all its own. One of the more popular alternative browsers available, it is highly acclaimed by new and veteran users alike. This browser is well-known for loading pages very quickly (especially important for those of us still puttering along on a dial-up connection) and making the browsing experience a smooth one, especially compared to the sometimes-grueling loading times that are the trademark of Internet Explorer. Opera is lighter than its competitor as well, weighing in at much less than Internet Explorer. The browser comes with a lot of features people have come to expect in the realm of alternative browsers (such as tabbed browsing and a pop-up blocker) that make it faster and easier to navigate the web. Another thing about Opera is that it lets you choose whether or not to run certain features, such as java applets. These are small applications written in the java programming language that can slow down a browser. If you specify, you can turn off certain JavaScript functions. If you're willing to sacrifice some features that bog down other browser software in order to enjoy the benefits of a faster online experience, Opera is probably the perfect browser for you.
Opera can be downloaded for free - in the past you had to pay for the ad-free version, but with the release of the latest version all that has changed. Another plus: no security issues have yet to be associated with the browser, so it's your best bet for surfing safely, although compatibility issues may sometimes hamper your ability to view particular websites.
Firefox Firefox is gaining steam as a favorite alternative browser, although it has been the top choice for quite some time amongst old-school Internet addicts and those who make good use of tabbed browsing and other user-friendly features not available with Internet Explorer. As it cements its position in the world of mainstream browsers, you can expect even more people to jump on the Firefox bandwagon (Grandma included). There's good reason why Firefox is fast becoming a favorite browser. It offers a simple design, fast browsing, and a safer Internet experience. The browser blocks pop-ups, viruses, and spyware - and it doesn't contain near as many security holes as Microsoft's IE, meaning the chance of falling prey to browser hijackers and other such online vultures is slim to none. Patches are made available very quickly when problems do arise. Browsing is faster because you won't have as much spyware clogging your computer's arteries, making your trip down the information superhighway slower than molasses.
It is evident that not all internet users are using the same browser and also there is possibility of them using different versions of different browsers. So, if your designer has not taken care of browser compatibility, this may result in different interpretation of your website as all the browsers and their different versions may not support the HTML, PHP and CSS properties used in your web site. And it may directly affect your business as it would mean customers would trust your website less as they cannot view it properly. For example, let us assume that you have an online store and it is not compatible with Google Chrome but the customer uses Google Chrome. In such a scenario, he might either not be able to shop at all if the shopping cart is not working properly or he might not trust your website well enough to purchase the product from your website. This would mean direct loss in business for you. This is why browser compatibility is an important factor to keep in mind when you design your website or get it created from someone else.
Very basic option available for a web developer is to go with the properties supported by all the major browsers. In your design code, it is wise to choose the design properties common to all major browsers. This may ask for compromise on look of the site and it may not work out well at times. So, in case it is impossible for the site to be made fully compatible with all browsers due to coding limitations, then the developer needs to know the various types and versions of web browsers used by the bulk of the website visitors. There are many techniques to get this information. You can use Javascript or PHP commands in your code to know about browser name and version. Depending on the browser, your designer can write different code snippets supported by various browsers.
Once your website is ready you can even test on various programs and websites available on internet for browser compatibility. These programs and websites show how your website will look in various popular browsers and list any major issues you may need to take care of. Depending on these suggestions you can fine tune your website to make it look perfect in all major browsers. I would advise you to make your websites compatible with all major web browsers but leave out outdated versions such as Internet Explorer 6 and Firefox 1.5 as hardly anybody uses them anymore.
Opera The Opera browser sings to a tune all its own. One of the more popular alternative browsers available, it is highly acclaimed by new and veteran users alike. This browser is well-known for loading pages very quickly (especially important for those of us still puttering along on a dial-up connection) and making the browsing experience a smooth one, especially compared to the sometimes-grueling loading times that are the trademark of Internet Explorer. Opera is lighter than its competitor as well, weighing in at much less than Internet Explorer. The browser comes with a lot of features people have come to expect in the realm of alternative browsers (such as tabbed browsing and a pop-up blocker) that make it faster and easier to navigate the web. Another thing about Opera is that it lets you choose whether or not to run certain features, such as java applets. These are small applications written in the java programming language that can slow down a browser. If you specify, you can turn off certain JavaScript functions. If you're willing to sacrifice some features that bog down other browser software in order to enjoy the benefits of a faster online experience, Opera is probably the perfect browser for you.
Opera can be downloaded for free - in the past you had to pay for the ad-free version, but with the release of the latest version all that has changed. Another plus: no security issues have yet to be associated with the browser, so it's your best bet for surfing safely, although compatibility issues may sometimes hamper your ability to view particular websites.
Firefox Firefox is gaining steam as a favorite alternative browser, although it has been the top choice for quite some time amongst old-school Internet addicts and those who make good use of tabbed browsing and other user-friendly features not available with Internet Explorer. As it cements its position in the world of mainstream browsers, you can expect even more people to jump on the Firefox bandwagon (Grandma included). There's good reason why Firefox is fast becoming a favorite browser. It offers a simple design, fast browsing, and a safer Internet experience. The browser blocks pop-ups, viruses, and spyware - and it doesn't contain near as many security holes as Microsoft's IE, meaning the chance of falling prey to browser hijackers and other such online vultures is slim to none. Patches are made available very quickly when problems do arise. Browsing is faster because you won't have as much spyware clogging your computer's arteries, making your trip down the information superhighway slower than molasses.
It is evident that not all internet users are using the same browser and also there is possibility of them using different versions of different browsers. So, if your designer has not taken care of browser compatibility, this may result in different interpretation of your website as all the browsers and their different versions may not support the HTML, PHP and CSS properties used in your web site. And it may directly affect your business as it would mean customers would trust your website less as they cannot view it properly. For example, let us assume that you have an online store and it is not compatible with Google Chrome but the customer uses Google Chrome. In such a scenario, he might either not be able to shop at all if the shopping cart is not working properly or he might not trust your website well enough to purchase the product from your website. This would mean direct loss in business for you. This is why browser compatibility is an important factor to keep in mind when you design your website or get it created from someone else.
Very basic option available for a web developer is to go with the properties supported by all the major browsers. In your design code, it is wise to choose the design properties common to all major browsers. This may ask for compromise on look of the site and it may not work out well at times. So, in case it is impossible for the site to be made fully compatible with all browsers due to coding limitations, then the developer needs to know the various types and versions of web browsers used by the bulk of the website visitors. There are many techniques to get this information. You can use Javascript or PHP commands in your code to know about browser name and version. Depending on the browser, your designer can write different code snippets supported by various browsers.
Once your website is ready you can even test on various programs and websites available on internet for browser compatibility. These programs and websites show how your website will look in various popular browsers and list any major issues you may need to take care of. Depending on these suggestions you can fine tune your website to make it look perfect in all major browsers. I would advise you to make your websites compatible with all major web browsers but leave out outdated versions such as Internet Explorer 6 and Firefox 1.5 as hardly anybody uses them anymore.
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