Browser Compatibility
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 6:21 pm
When I build a webpage, I try to keep it compatible with as many different browsers as possible. However, I have not (in the past) tested them personally with mac or linux browsers. Also, I generally test with whatever version of firefox/IE I have currently installed. This is obviously not good practice, and I want to change it. However, I'm not sure how extensive I should/can test on my windows machine.
I would like to have up to 3 old versions of the major browsers on my machine. I'm sure I can do this with firefox fairly easily (heck, I already have 2.0 and beta 3... getting 1.5 again shouldn't be hard). However, I'm not entirely sure that it's possible to have both IE 6 and IE 7 installed. I have no idea if I can, or how I can install and run mac browsers on windows (unlikely?), or even which browser(s) and version(s) to test. As for linux, I could just use my handy dandy bootable pen drive but again, I don't know what browser(s) or version(s) to test. Besides, rebooting every time you want to test on another browser is a pain.
I'd like to form/get a list of places to download the versions and browsers for _windows_. I'll start with the easy ones:
Firefox Portable 1.5.0.10 (portable version doesn't destroy my 2.0 info)
Firefox Portable 1.0.8 (I don't know if anyone uses 1.0.8 still)
I don't know how well this works, as I'm afraid to test it till someone says they've heard of it:
Multiple IE installer
Some more info about Multiple IE
Edit: downloaded it and ran it. I don't know why I was worried... I have backups of everything on my computer, and I mostly use freeware programs, so... no big loss if virus eats everything. I checked out msn.com with IE 3-7... and wow. IE 3 and 4 sucked. hard. I can't believe everyone used to think those were so great (did anyone ever believe that?). IE 5+ loaded everything pretty much ok. Though 5.5 and 7 both coughed a bit. It was fun to mess with. Interestingly enough, 3 and 4 died on my simple website (which has php, and a bit of javascript) just as fast as on msn.com.
Um. that's as far as I've gotten. Help?
I would like to have up to 3 old versions of the major browsers on my machine. I'm sure I can do this with firefox fairly easily (heck, I already have 2.0 and beta 3... getting 1.5 again shouldn't be hard). However, I'm not entirely sure that it's possible to have both IE 6 and IE 7 installed. I have no idea if I can, or how I can install and run mac browsers on windows (unlikely?), or even which browser(s) and version(s) to test. As for linux, I could just use my handy dandy bootable pen drive but again, I don't know what browser(s) or version(s) to test. Besides, rebooting every time you want to test on another browser is a pain.
I'd like to form/get a list of places to download the versions and browsers for _windows_. I'll start with the easy ones:
Firefox Portable 1.5.0.10 (portable version doesn't destroy my 2.0 info)
Firefox Portable 1.0.8 (I don't know if anyone uses 1.0.8 still)
I don't know how well this works, as I'm afraid to test it till someone says they've heard of it:
Multiple IE installer
Some more info about Multiple IE
Edit: downloaded it and ran it. I don't know why I was worried... I have backups of everything on my computer, and I mostly use freeware programs, so... no big loss if virus eats everything. I checked out msn.com with IE 3-7... and wow. IE 3 and 4 sucked. hard. I can't believe everyone used to think those were so great (did anyone ever believe that?). IE 5+ loaded everything pretty much ok. Though 5.5 and 7 both coughed a bit. It was fun to mess with. Interestingly enough, 3 and 4 died on my simple website (which has php, and a bit of javascript) just as fast as on msn.com.
Um. that's as far as I've gotten. Help?