[WEB4LIB] Re: Netscape 6

[Julia Schult]

Commentary on the Netscape 6 thread:

What the conversation sounded like (but wasn't):

Tony Barry: "Anyone should be able to read every Web page from every
obscure browser they feel like, and if they can't, then the designer is
clueless to the needs of their user and a jerk.   And the browsers should
follow the standards, so that if the page designer follows the standards,
then the user won't have a problem."

Everybody else: "Preposterous.  We can't design for every stupid browser,
it's hard enough to keep up with the standards.  And the browsers don't
follow the standards anyway, and most people are using the Big Two.  And
our users want the bells and whistles; if they don't get it, they won't use
our pages.  And there are lots of good page designs that use these
features."

What the two sides really mean:

Tony Barry: "If only people would follow certain basic principles, everyone
could read their pages with no problem.  Anyone who doesn't attempt this is
being negligent in their responsibility as a Web publisher."

Everybody else:  "It's almost impossible to figure out what those basic
principles are and still give the users what they want.  Since the Big Two
browsers don't follow the official standards, we have to go beyond the
official standards.  The vast majority of users can use javascript and
graphics, and our pages can be improved by them if we keep good design
principles in mind.  But yes, you're right, we should put in the little bit
of extra work to meet the standard of getting our content across at the
text level, since that is the base level of all browsers."

---Julia E. Schult
Access/Electronic Services Librarian
Elmira College
Jschult at elmira.edu