Best Browser To Desighn Your Site To not much of a question but more like a statement

[miladinoski 1]

It's stupid to design your site based on one browser (Firefox let's say). You may use some elements which aren't supported by other browsers and basically block those users. You need to make your site standards compliant, as doing this will make it work in all standards-comatible browsers (Firefox, Opera, Safari, IE8 maybe). I think you shouldn't block IE, but you shouldn't just try too hard and waste valuable time of making cross-propriability between browsers just to make your site IE compatible. You should just put a text somewhere notable on your site and say that if the page doesn't look good in IE then you should switch to another browser. And that's all! I personally couldn't care less if I lose readers just because they are stupid enough not to change their browser to something else than IE. Those users are just making a web-devs life harder and they should be stopped doing that (better yet, MS should be stopped spreading it's non-standards-compatible browser and not make it sooo integrated with the OS, they should throw out the integration - like Safari in Mac and Firefox in Linux does - and try to make their stupid browser more standards compatible instead - also they should lose the ActiveX controls too). I won't continue to rant in here, I will just go to the other place in this forum

[rayzoredge 2]

I'm not understanding why you would want to just tailor your website to work with just one browser, because it would limit your audience unless you don't mind and it's a personal web site, but for a professional work, you would want to accommodate as many different possibilities as possible. Personally, I would tailor things first to Firefox, but using code that is universal to all browsers (instead of using IE-exclusive CSS effects, etc.). After designing the page, I would save a copy of that page, try to view it in Internet Explorer or Opera or whatever, then tweak it to look right in that browser by adjusting code or image sources or whatnot, or even making alternative pages that display the same content but in a different way to reflect the best visual that the particular browser can provide. From there, JavaScript has a function that allows for coders to detect a browser and it's easy to see where I'm going here: redirect the user (using that gateway script/page) so that they have a seamless viewing experience, regardless of what browser they have. Another alternative to that which follows the same principle is to use PHP or JavaScript to dynamically create the page based on what they have for a browser, so it literally adjusts coding on-the-fly. I don't remember much from back in the day when I did a lot of JavaScript, but it was something like:

if (browser.ClientName == "Firefox") {document.write("<tag>content for firefox</tag>");} else if (browser.ClientName == "Opera") {  document.write("<tag>content for opera</tag>");  }else {  document.write("<tag>content for whatever else browsers are out there</tag>");  }

It's a lot of work to deal with, but at the same time, it's worth every bit if you're going to design a website for a company, or anything really, if you're looking to improve the user experience.

P.S. Keep in mind that I haven't done web design in a long, long time, so maybe there's something better than this gateway technique nowadays.

[mdlacey85 0]

Best to design your site to work it both Firefox and Internet Explorer. If it works in those you should be pretty safe as it will work in almost anything if it does in those.Plus if it doesn't you're not gonna miss out on too much traffic and not many people have a browser other than the two metioned above, apart from I.T professionals and the like.RegardsMatty

[minimcmonkey 0]

Using a piece of javascript which outputs the information depending on the browser is stupid.This means the bowser must download all versions of your site, as well as the script, what you need, is a script that detects your browser, then redirects you to the right page for your browser. however, if it if just a few tags which arent working with a lot of browsers, then a single page aproach may be better

[SilentCivilian 0]

I have been using Firefox since I first downloaded it, a long time ago. I don't do much coding though, but I would highly recommend coding websites to Firefox's standards. If you really think about it, yeah, IE is more widely used, but because more and more people are using Firefox every day, pretty soon more people will be using it than IE.

[SilentCivilian 0]

I have been using Firefox since I first downloaded it, a long time ago. I don't do much coding though, but I would highly recommend coding websites to Firefox's standards. If you really think about it, yeah, IE is more widely used, but because more and more people are using Firefox every day, pretty soon more people will be using it than IE.

[bishoujo 0]

I prefer to use Firefox too. IE allows a lot of fancy stuff, but they won't show up on Firefox, and a lot of people, including myself, are switching to Firefox anyway. In fact, I used to be pretty crazy over effects like cursors, shadows and stuff when I designed sites for IE, but later, I realized that a lot of it is distracting and redundant.

Edited September 18, 2008 by bishoujo (see edit history)

[etycto 0]

pretty soon more people will be using it than IE.

i really disagree with that statement because for as long as windows is the dominating operating system and microsoft keeps providing internet explorer with operating system internet explorer will dominate. also with internet explorer 8 being web complient and having great new features and improvements there will be less reasons to switch. maybe a couple losts here and there but not major ones. but what it think though is that with google chrone coming out internet explorer wont the only browser effected firefox might also get effect; google does have a lot of power.

[pedro-kun 0]

i really disagree with that statement because for as long as windows is the dominating operating system and microsoft keeps providing internet explorer with operating system internet explorer will dominate. also with internet explorer 8 being web complient and having great new features and improvements there will be less reasons to switch. maybe a couple losts here and there but not major ones. but what it think though is that with google chrone coming out internet explorer wont the only browser effected firefox might also get effect; google does have a lot of power.

Web compliant? Like not having SVG support? or even Animated PNG (i guess)? Even if the engine itself is re-written, there are lots of websites hacked for previous versions of IE, which will malfunction in newer versions because of said hacks. IE is a lost cause, Microsoft should face that, and stop trying to force their "browser" into every windows installation. The "new features" of IE will most likely already be available in other free browsers. (which, by the way, tend to be multiplatform and even independent from your system which is by itself a huge reason to make the switch).
Also, Chrome and Firefox can exchange code... they're both open-source, so I'm sure that competition will only benefit us all (and leave IE behind in the dust).


Since I'm already here, I might as well comment on the subject of the post as well.
The best browser to design websites to is a text-based browser. Most of the stupidity hanging around in the Web results from bad planning of the logical structure of the site. Once you get that right, styling is easy and pretty straightforward, provided you don't use some advanced CSS selectors or properties. When you get to stage 2 (the styling stage), grab a copy of Firefox (and possibly Opera); these will be your best friends. Also, sites like browsershots will help you to ensure your site works in other browsers as well as in other platforms.

Don't forget Firebug and Web-developer toolbar for firefox! (and the developer tools in Opera).

As for IE... well, a lost cause. However, try to design simple but beautiful sites, which (by being simple) would work in IE. If you really need separate versions, please don't detect browsers using javascript... do it at server-side, with php. It saves you the trouble of someone having javascript disabled, such as users of NoScript, or savvy Opera users.
Edited September 19, 2008 by pedro-kun (see edit history)

[xpress 0]

When desinging a page I usually concentrate on code rather than the browser. I am usingXHTML. I don't use much graphics and avoid cutting edge features like flash, dynamic html etc..They are some of the reasons for browser incompatibity problesm. I like to avoid them. So, my page will work same on almost all browsers as no overhead of these graphics problem. Also I want my webpage very small in size, sothat it will load very fast in client machine, and uses less bandwidth also.Coming to this browser war...I don't agree that IExplorer has lost. Most of the IE success is because it is inbuilt in windows. Most people doesn't know much about computers and even how to installa software etc..They are just end users....Not developers... And even if they know how to install(Bcoz installation in windows is very easy) they may be too busy or too lazy to install a third party software. If they want to use Internet in windows they open IE and start browsing. Thats all.They won't care whether it is best browser or not. This is the reason for Internet Explorer success.So as long as Windows(or Microsoft) dominates the Operating System market Internet Explorer definitelydominates all browsers. And Microsoft's plans to develop latest versions of its browser definitely keepits share in browser market.

[pedro-kun 0]

Coming to this browser war...I don't agree that IExplorer has lost. Most of the IE success is because it is inbuilt in windows. Most people doesn't know much about computers and even how to install
a software etc..They are just end users....Not developers... And even if they know how to install
(Bcoz installation in windows is very easy) they may be too busy or too lazy to install a third party software.
If they want to use Internet in windows they open IE and start browsing. Thats all.
They won't care whether it is best browser or not. This is the reason for Internet Explorer success.

So as long as Windows(or Microsoft) dominates the Operating System market Internet Explorer definitely
dominates all browsers. And Microsoft's plans to develop latest versions of its browser definitely keep
its share in browser market.

Well, yeah, IE does dominate the market... But that doesn't mean it is not a lost cause. The browser itself is pure trash, when compared to modern browsers which are actually free. Also, IE cripples the web. You said you design webpages focusing on the xhtml rather than the looks... Well, if IE didn't exist at all, you wouldn't have to worry about such problems because most browsers support most standards in a decent way. Then you could use some more of what is the real power of the web, without worrying over hacks and stuff..

Concluding, IE is a crappy browser. Of course, many people still use it (and will, for a long time), but that's just because they're ignorant on the tech side of the program. It's not their fault, though... however, IE is indeed destroying the web.

[kudmus 0]

I don't know much about webdesigning but I would advise you guys to make sure your sites are IE compatible because most people use it. People like you and I know there is something like browser compatibility but there are so many people out there who don't even care to know how these things work. People of such a type will use use Windows default everything( default browser, default player, default editors) so most of these people will only use IE. Technically inclined people will understand why the site is rendered in a certain way and will forgive you for browser incompatibility. I think we all have to wait until FF grabs 50% market share before we start designing pages for it.

[gjaldon 0]

Having read most of the posts on this thread, I agree with pedro-kun and suggest that you design for Firefox/Chrome instead of IE. IE is not such a great browser when compared to all the free open-source browsers such as FF/Chrome.

[lightforce 0]

I have been web designing for some years and I can declare firefox to be the clear choice.

Building on firefox is great because it closely follows the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) guidlines (click to see what they are about).

 

IE makes me angry often because it refuses to recognize web standards in many instances.

While Firefox, Safari, and Opera are all better than IE at following the standards firefox is the best.

Also, firefox has this really sweet add-on called Firebug.

"Firebug integrates with Firefox to put a wealth of development

tools at your fingertips while you browse. You can edit, debug,

and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page...

Firebug 1.2 requires Firefox 2 or 3."

Other firefox add-ons that aid web development include Tamper Data, iMacros for Firefox, Greasemonkey, and docked JS-Console.

 

The worst part about IE (especially when making a site backwards-compatible with version 6) is the CSS. It is practically a nightmare.

I have had to google many work-arounds and hacks to get sites to look the same across all common browsers.

Yah, Internet Explorer would be long gone if it was not integrated with the Windows OS.

Safari would likely die out as well if it was not connected to the Mac OS in favor of Firefox.