User distribution by browser

[Margaret F. Riley]

At 08:15 PM 1/28/97 -0800, you 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?

No, because we still don't know how many folks are out there on the net,
and people like me use 3 different browsers, depending on the day, my
mood, and how bad the HTML is on a page.   (Really bad stuff tends to
blow up my Netscape 2.01 but not my NCSA Mosaic.)

>  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), 

<soapbox>
Right there is the refudiation (is that a real word) to the "no one uses
Lynx anymore."
The county library system here which provides free Internet access to all users
uses Lynx, most university administration are on Lynx, and most people relying
upon software to translate web pages to spoken words are still relying on Lynx.
Personally, the graphics drive me crazy, and if I wanted to speed up my
connectivity,
I'd probably be using Lynx as my primary browser.  Instead, I just turn the 
graphics off as much as possible.  (People cringe when they say "The Net is so
slow," and I "turn off your graphics."  What?!? No Pictures?!?!)

>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')

The commercial web developers say build for not necessarily the lowest common
denominator, but provide for the weaker browsers.  Use Alt text in graphic
buttons
(so simple yet so uncommon), provide non-frames versions of framed pages, and
become more adept at presenting information in a logical and readable manner
instead of relying strictly upon the graphics to drive your site.
</soapbox>

Margaret

...where's my coffee?

Margaret F. Riley, MSLIS
Internet Consultant		 The Riley Guide
3726 Nimitz Road		 http://www.jobtrak.com/jobguide/
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"The Guide to Internet Job Searching" by Margaret Riley,
 Frances Roehm, and Steve Oserman.  VGM Career Horizons,
 April 1996.   1-800-323-4900