Re: Target browsers for web development

> Those of us who deploy applications within browsers
> must accept the limits of today's browsers. But those of us who develop
> browsers must seek to transcend the current limits.

> In other words: to the extent that we control the enabling technology,
> our goal should be to eliminate the need for education about that
> technology. And we can do that in the "real world."

Hi Josh,

I couldn't agree more with the sentiments you make and I do think the
problem is being dealt with more effectively as this area of technology is
maturing and therefore gets better at helping the user (could do better only
5/10 so far). Users should not have to worry about updates and standards and
some examples of how this has been implemented have already been given by
people in the discussion.

But I mentioned the "real world" because we don't necessarily control the
technology and cannot be sure of the quality of it's implementation.

Some users may choose to upgrade and be effectively helped to do so where
the browser does not support it. Others won't or cannot upgrade (too long to
download upgrade, company restricted web browser, etc) and you can't just
abandon them, tell them their browser is non-compliant and then hope they
understand what this means.

Some examples - on our sites we link to guides like that below to help
inform users:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/help/help_apps.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/help/default.stm

Some users even like to know about the technology god bless them...

Like many other content providers we also try to ensure content is as
accessible to as many platforms as possible and make best endeavours to
ensure that content degrades well. It's a way of retaining contingent
control over browser technology we can only indirectly influence.

Cheers,

jod

    --------------------------------------------------------------
     POSTINGS (in plain text): [email protected]
           SUBSCRIPTION CHANGES:  http://lists.syntagm.co.uk
            (or send email to mailto:[email protected])
    --------------------------------------------------------------