Anyone interested in designing for older browsers???

[jscript_junkie]

Hi all.
I just found a link on Netscape's website, where you can install Netscape 2.0, 3.0, etc. Basically, any browser they have produced. I checked out my site on 2.0 and it degrades well! I actually miss the 2.0 days. Nothing but fast browsing. Well, if anybody is interested in downloading these, please follow the following link:

http://wp.netscape.com/download/archive/client_archive47x.html

Does anybody know how I can get IE 2.0 or 3.0??? Thanks.

[Feyd]

Virtually every browser that has existed: http://browsers.evolt.org/

And for a little fun: http://dejavu.org

[jscript_junkie]

Very Nice!!!!!!!

[Vladdy]

Thanks,

but I prefer to design for the future not the past....

[jscript_junkie]

I design for the future too, but I also want my pages to appear nice (or "decent" at least ) in other browsers. Even if it's text-only. But, I'm not going to make major changes just to make it look good on older browsers, the amount of users on those user agents are very small. So, I don't bother. But, I think it's important to deliver a way for all web viewers to view your page. Even it if it's a text only version. Pretty much what my sig says. A user that uses school, library, or Cyber Cafe can't upgrade the browser on those machines. So, maybe not trying to make it look similar on various browsers, but making in accessible. That's my way of building anyway. Other people are free to do as they please, but shouldn't tell users to upgrade their browsers...

[redhead]

Other people are free to do as they please, but shouldn't tell users to upgrade their browsers...

I would happily suggest to my users to get the latest browsers, otherwise in 2010 we will still be coding to make it look good in the browsers of those people who dont want to change. I dont want to be considering Netscape 4 in my coding in 10 years time

Edit: what am i saying... i hardly consider it now...

[jscript_junkie]

I don't think it's good design to block people from the site just because of their browser. But, using an index.htm page to "sniff out" users, is a good approach. Forwarding people that are compatible with standards to the main webpage (Vladdy does this) is the best way to go. Now, if you would have a message for those people that had older browsers to upgrade their browsers, and not let them see it anyway, that is just bad for the users. Telling them that their browser might display the page incorrectly is excellent. But, if you display a link to the main website, despite their browser, that's the best thing a webmaster can do for their users. It's better to see something there besides nothing at all. So, it's not that I design for the past, but I just make sure my page is accessible for all users. As I said before, even users with text-only browsers should be able to see that pages, but it doesn't have to look similar to your "spiffed up" webpage. Just navigable. I'm working on XHTML 1.1 right now, and I think it's going to be great!

Excellent discussion!

<edit my="post">Another note: I guess to put this whole thing in a nutshell, telling users to upgrade their browsers is good. It tells them that they are behind with the standards supported in browsers. But, the thing that bothers me, is that webmasters don't let users with old browsers onto the page. Vladdy is the perfect example for excellent design. He provides a link to the page, at their own risk of course. </edit>

[redhead]

i agree with that

i was trying to imply is that sometimes poeple need a nudge in the right direction before they will change anything.

[jscript_junkie]

I think I just have a need for my pages to be accessible. I don't see what people get out of blocking users It's their loss.