Hitwise UK have recently published an article demonstrating that searches for Google Chrome have doubled over the past few weeks. This follows months of rarely seen marketing (on and offline) by search giant Google. However, as the article points out that whilst this new level of search puts Chrome ahead of Internet Explorer in terms of searches, it still has some way to go to catch the ever wily 'fox. All this is somewhat academic though as whilst fewer people search for Internet Explorer, the inconvenient truth (inconvenient, if you're a web developer) is that fewer people search for IE because they already have it. Across all our clients' websites Internet Explorer still accounts for anything from 75% to 90% of users.
The real point is this though, with new browsers on the market and a whole range of in phone mobile browsers to contend how well does your website stand up. Think of it this way, if your browser was built over twelve months ago, Firefox 3.5, Chrome, Internet Explorer 8 and the like were not on the market to the general public. So how do you know that your website, which you painstakingly had designed and crafted, still works?,/p>
You don't really, unless you go to the trouble of rigourously testing it. Unfortunately, as operating systems, browsers and mobile devices move on at the rate that they do you can't assume that because your site worked in Internet Explorer 7 it will work in Internet Explorer 8. Browser developers are constantly changing their products' CSS engines, HTML interpreters and constantly add 'speed' enhancements. The result of which are great for the user but mean that the website owners have to work that little bit harder to stay up to date.
Sagittarius Digital employs a rigorous testing process as part of its project lifecycle and also offers standards compliance, accessibility and browser compatibility testing within its service offering. If you're concerned about your website's appearance in the latest browsers then why not give us a call and ask us to take a look. Call 08450 553888 and ask to speak to one of our compliance experts.