Browser Updates - Check Your Websites!
Have you ever opened a word processing document in a version of the software that’s different from the version that created it, and found that the alignment and layout are changed? The same thing can happen with websites when new browser versions are released.
Firefox recently released Firefox 3, and Internet Explorer 8 is gradually becoming more popular. Last year, Google released its Chrome browser. The vast majority of internet users use either Internet Explorer or Firefox, with Chrome gradually gaining a significant footing. Some of those people update their software, and some don’t. One of the challenges of web design is making sure a website looks good in many browsers. This is called “cross-browser compatibility.”
For example: I built a new website for a client whose existing website had an all-black background. Or, it had an all-black background until I installed Firefox 3. Suddenly, horizontal gray stripes appeared between the website segments! This is an example of how a new browser can interpret a website in ways which were not intended.
Unfortunately, we designers have no crystal ball to predict ways that browsers will change. We can build websites that are robust across several existing browsers, which reduces the likelihood that new versions of a particular browser will create errors.
All Dreamkissed designed websites are tested in Internet Explorer 6-8, Firefox, and Chrome. Each of these browsers has its own quirks, which some designers manipulate to create shortcuts to the effects they want. However, building a website in such a way that it works well in all of them, without these manipulations, makes it much more likely that the website will also work in other, less popular browsers, and in newer versions of the big-name ones.
It’s a good practice to check out your own website regularly. If you see something new or unusual, contact your host or designer, who will be able to advise you and help you correct the problem.