Cross-Browser Hall of Shame
Is your web site cross-browser compatible?
Do you have a general idea of yes or no? Or are you shaking your head thinking "what's boss crowser incompatidefagibility, you crazy woman?"
Cross-browser compatibility is geek speak for the simple notion that your web site can be viewed on any web browser, whether that's Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, or any number of the little guys. Although Internet Explorer no longer dominates the market, many web sites are still created solely for Microsoft software or with techniques exclusive to Microsoft. These frankly inexcusable design errors can render your web site unviewable by up to 40% of your visitors.
Would you slam your store doors on 40% of your potential customers? Or not return 40% of your potential customers' calls? You wouldn't dream of it - but a disappointing number of businesses do just that to their site visitors. Take a look at a list of companies which were making incompatible web sites as recently as two years ago:
Most of those companies have the common sense, and certainly the budget, to know better than to design web sites using exclusionary, decade-old techniques. And if these big boys are making simple errors, you can imagine how much this unspoken issue impacts small businesses with home-made web sites without their ever knowing it.
If you are not sure whether your web site is cross-browser compatible, or if you think it must be because it "looks good to you", speak with a web site professional for an independent evaluation. Chances are your potential customers may have put you in a Hall of Shame of their own.
Posted
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Monday, December 31st, 2007 at 1:00 am under
