ask an expert
QUESTION
What are the most common browsers I should test my new web site on?
I know that what looks good on one person's computer might not look right on anothers. So which are the most common browsers I should test my new web site on before having it go live?
ANSWER
by William Pfarrer
Cross browser compatibility is one of the most aggravating issues a web developer has to deal with when designing for the web. There are several browsers that are in use by the majority of users, and not all users update to the current version when it becomes available. While there is a published standard, each browser developer implements functionality a little differently. When creating a web site, it is a good rule of thumb to have your web developer design for the most compatible browser and also to test the design on the most commonly used browsers. According to statistics on browser use, Internet Explorer is the most common browser today with the majority of people using Internet Explore 6; however Internet Explore 7 is increasing in popularity as users upgrade. The second most popular browser is Firefox followed by Safari. If you test your design against these three major browsers your site should look great to the majority of web users.William Pfarrer is the Director of Technology Services for Country Sampler Group, publishers of Country Business magazine. He has 20 plus years of experience in the computer industry and specializes in database design.
