99.9% of web sites obsolete?

[Keith Higgs]

Why your coding specifications should be platform independent: You want
your site to be as accessible as possible to the widest possible
audience. Standards based coding specifications help the ensure that
your pages are accessible to the widest possible audience.

Do not code to a specific browser.  
* Your chosen browser may use non standard methods, or may implement the
performance of a standardized behavior in a non standard way.  What
displays the way you intend in that browser may be unacceptable to you
in other browsers.

* Do not make software decisions on behalf of your users. People are
loyal to operating systems and browsers because their choice works for
*them*. I am an advocate of Mozilla but, I understand why certain
colleagues prefer other browsers.

* Limit your use of file formats that require client side add-ins.  Your
add-in may be unavailable to certain operating systems or browsers.

* Be cognizent of the issues related to client side scripting. Certain
client side scripting languages are unsupported for some OS's and/or
browsers. Certain scripting languages can expose access points into
either the client system or the server.  Additionally, the script
interpreting engines for a given language may vary from one platform to
another.  (Example: Although the MS-IE Javascript interpreter on Mac
OS's is ECMA Scripting Specification compliant it fails to execute
certain operations in the same manner as on the "equivalent" PC
platform. In some cases it fails to execute the specified operation at
all.)

* Be aware if (but not restricted by) the limitations of older browser
versions. Allow users ample time to adopt newer browsers but, don't be
tied to supporting truly ancient software.  With IE 6 and NS 6 available
it is still reasonable to support later NS 4.x clients to a limited
degree.  Remember that by supporting obsolete software you are enabling
those who 'refuse' to upgrade.  Yes, my old tube based AM radio set
still works, and I can still get parts for it but, parts are harder and
harder to find and more expensive every year.

D. Keith Higgs <mailto:dkh2 at po.cwru.edu>
 Case Western Reserve University, Webmaster - University Library
 Additional Information at http://www.cwru.edu/UL/
"Follow the white rabbit."