May 18, 2002

By: Jan Nordlund
Website: http://www.jannowebsolutions.com

Just say no, if all web designers design after latest standards the web will evolve!

Netscape 4 - a monster from the past. Let’s send it to paradise!

When is it time to just say NO?

In the web design business there’s always been quite a discussion about web browsers, compatibility, standards, w3c and the future. Who would have thought in 1998 that in the four years to come... not much would change!

I sure didn't think that we would still be here making tweaks to make our web sites work for Netscape 4. Still... that browser is just the same trouble now as it was back then.

For sure... things have changed. Internet Explorer have gotten more standardized for every version and for a web designer, right now IE works more like a dream than any other browser. Well, to tell the truth, since version 4 it always did. It’s always been a forgiving browser…

The Trouble with IE is… Hmm I guess I take that in another article.

Netscape 6 built on the Mozilla platform is CSS1 standard compliant. Opera is well on its way. But can we use the opportunities that are offered to us? The answer is no! Because there's still a healthy part of web site surfers out there that cling onto the old, and in my eyes one of the worst browsers ever made.

I know, I shouldn't decide for the users when to upgrade their computers or browsers, but I know that all web developers hold the same thought. I mean... even the lynx text browser is better. At least it only shows the text. And if you code by the book they will see what you want them to see. Netscape 4.x on the other hand tries to show code that it can't show, making everything a mess and if it doesn't crash it just makes the visitor gets a bad impression of the site.

I’m not going to let anyone send a hate letter to me without saying that Netscape 4 really was the best browser in 1996… but hello! Wake up! It’s 2002 now, we are at least two W3C recommendations ahead of that now and we still have to think about that old browser. It’s insane. It’s a mockery if you think about any kind of a evolving web.

I adore the web standards project at http://archive.webstandards.org/. Wouldn't it just be a dream to be able to use one code without caring about any unstandardized browsers?

Hey! I even build 1000 pages for free if it would help. Just send me what you want published and I give you a nice xhtml page :)

But does it help. Doesn't it just alienate the old users from you? Won’t they just say... ahh that designer is no good. He can't even code for Netscape. I'm afraid that is what most serious web designer’s fear. And after all... the client got the last word. I try to tell my clients about the problems, but most all wants to have those Netscape-huggers included. And I understand them. Even I have to do the same thing on my web site. Sacrifice for the big mass... Tragic but true.

But will a change come if we don't take a stand. If we will continue this tweak parade it might still look the same four years from now! People will think… hmm why upgrade. Most all sites work fine today. God, then I will be grey haired before I turn 35! :) I DON'T want that to happen, and I don't want to code for old browsers that really have no place on today’s web.

So, aren’t there some programmers out there that can code a real efficient, non-memory intense browser for old windows computers, UNIX computers, all computers. I will do all I can to help you. Just do it!!! We are dying for it and without it I'm afraid everything is stagnating like it has been for the last four years. We have all chances to code pages that are really usable, we have all opportunities in the world to make a interesting web, but still not much is happening.

We are still building the same web sites; holding on to the cool stuff, tweaking, testing and reaching some form of an agreement that will work in all browsers.

I think I will open a virtual psychiatric office for web designers. I'm sure it is and will be a very profitable business for years to come if not a miracle will happen very soon.

Yeah, call me a grumpy old web designer, but I'm just fed up with writing nice standardized well tuned code and then have to ruin it just because... well you know what.

So come on... let's all make our best to at least make everyone we know get a standard compliant browser. Even if it means giving them new hardware, I don't care. I have done that before and will continue to do it... and if we all do it maybe we can look back four years from now and say that things really have changed!

All the best... Jan Nordlund

About The Author:

Jan Nordlund is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.jannowebsolutions.com.  For a affordable and succesful Internet presence, contact him.