Internet Explorer stuff
IE Clones - More good stuff like tabs and pop-up blockers, better security/protection in some cases … but still using the same very old IE engine so the same old problems for designers:
- Avant
- Crazy browser (my choice when I have to use a IE class browser, but I have them all and do switch between many).
- SlimBrowser
- Enigma
- Deepnet Explorer (Ok, but to many frills for my taste like a P2P capability).
- MSN Explorer - ships with XP, a pest.
- AOL Browser - comes with AOL internet services CD, a pest.
How to install Multiple IEs for testing or to prove you are insane:
- Multiple Versions of Internet Explorer
- Taming your Multiple IE Standalones
- Multiple IEs in Windows
- Multiple versions of IE on the same machine
Other Top Browsers:
- Firefox - based on Mozilla/Gecko.
- Opera - Now Free. Offers many style sheets for testing as well as a small screen view. Those with visual difficulties will be interested in it’s Zoom ability.
- Safari - comes installed on Mac, so either you have it on your Mac or you cannot install it because you are not using a Mac.
- Konqueror - Mostly comes with Linux, I am not aware of a download site, will post if someone points it out to me.
- Mozilla / Netscape (Netscape is based on Mozilla - little difference in rendering a site so you can use either).
- Lynx - it is a text browser, it does not use a installer as a usual browser nor does it have a GUI (Graphical User Interface), so takes some getting used to. Text browsers are used by some techie types and some older screenreaders use them as a base. Either way a text browser is good to test your site to see what a blind visitor would hear.
- SeaMonkey
- this is the follow-up to Mozilla (Mozilla Application Suite). Mozilla
has moved priority to Firefox and Thunderbird and Mozilla was
developement was stopped. However volunteers decided to keep working on
it under the project name "SeaMonkey." So if you use Mozilla, if you
wish to upgrade you will have to use SeaMonkey. Netscape users will
either have to switch to seaMonkey or wait till/and see if Netscape
releases a new Netscape browser based on SeaMonkey. So why not just use
the original?
Lynx as mentioned above is handy but just for testing there are other possibilities. I personally like to use Opera, go under the Menu / View / Style / User Mode / Emulate text browser. You can also try the Lynx Viewer at Accessibility.nl to see your site in a text form.
Secondary Browsers:
Those browsers that are little known and not really worth mentioning, The above mentioned IE Clones could e listed here too.
- Dillo - Linux.
- Camino - Mac, Mozilla sister to Firefox.
- iCab - Mac, last I heard it had rather poor CSS and standards support.
- Minimo - A Mozilla project for a browser for hand held devices.
- Galeon - A Gecko based browser for Gnome.
- OmniWeb - For Mac.
- WebTV - Designers worst nightmare. It is it’s own category as TV’s show colors differently then Monitors. Computer targeted web sites look like a certain Bio-material. You must really design a special site for it. Let us pray it dies away. But the user base is so small now anyways… I can offer you these two links: WebTV Emulator& The WebTV Viewer.
Those of you interested in any really old browsers: Evolt.org Browser Archive.
One last link for now, have a look at Deja Vu:
Experience the history of the web!
Go to the emulator to re-live an era in the history of the web!
Or go to the timeline to read about the old times!
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