User distribution by browser

[James Cayz]

John, and Everyone Else,

	My first response resembled a flamethrower too much, so I killed
it, and tried again....

	We're forgetting something here, very basic stuff.  The Web
was never intended to be a place to create cool graphics and play neat
network applications.  It was designed to simplify and resolve
system-to-system inconsistancies in moving data around.  This was done
with a set of _standardized_ protocols.

	Just recently, I thought, I can't get anyway with lynx
anymore.  Even V 2.6, that semi-supports tables and frames, is not
welcome in many places.  We're _regressing_, not progressing.  Back to
the time of "Telnet versus TN3270" and FTP binary L 8 versus plain
binary.  Do you remember that fun stuff not too long ago?

	I'm sorry, I really believe in the value of the Internet, but
my opinion of the Web, and what companies and "authors" that have
pushed or broken the standard (or failed to meet the standards) have
turned the Web into, is quickly diminishing.  Better brush up on those
rusty FTP commands.  I have. (Used them too - IRS's web server too
slow, used FTP to get what I needed.)

	James Cayz

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[ James Cayz: cayz at lib.de.us  # Voice 302-739-4748 x130 / Fax 302-739-6948 ]
[ Delaware Division of Libraries # 43 S. DuPont Hwy / Dover, DE 19901-7430 ]
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On Tue, 28 Jan 1997, John J. Burke wrote:
>Reading the discussion on frames brought this question to mind:  does anyone
>really have any idea what level or type of browser the majority of Net users
>have?  I often see comments to the effect that "well, no one uses Lynx anymore"
>or "Now that everyone has moved to Netscape 2.0 or beyond . . . "  I know that
>my institution is behind the times (we still are predominantly Lynx-only), but
>what about the Net as a whole?  While any of us can construct local resources
>based on the local dominant browser, should we all feel the need to play to the
>lowest common denominator?  (My personal view is yes, but I'd like to know
>others').
>
>John
>
>John J. Burke, MSLS | Librarian | Instructor | Internet Trainer | Author
>Ruth Ann Musick Library, Fairmont State College, Fairmont, WV  26554-2489
>E-mail:  u536a at wvnvm.wvnet.edu | Homepage:  http://wvnvm.wvnet.edu/~u536a
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Need a textbook for your Internet training?  How about PowerPoint slides
>for a presentation?  See my homepage to order _Learning the Internet:  A
>Workbook for Beginners_ (Neal-Schuman, 1996) and the accompanying slides.