Are the browser wars back? Does it really matter that Firefox is now hitting over 20% of client usage? From a design perspective all it says to me is you can’t design for one browser anymore (if you ever could.) But this time around (unlike to late 90′s Netscape vs. IE mess) at least if you stick with standards based design you should be OK. The bigger question is can you only design for one device anymore? Mobile browsing is growing rapidly, and it is no longer safe to assume that everyone is interacting with your site via a traditional computer. Standards adherence is a start, but greater consideration of what information you give to people based on how they access you site is also needed. It pays to look at good web apps and learn from the experience:
Your Favorite Mobile Web Apps & Sites – ReadWriteWeb
On the client side it does matter what browser you use — I try them all, but still favor Firefox. It give me so many ways to customize the browsing experience, that for a designer I can’t imagine why you’d use one of the others — but to each their own. I did pick up some helpful hints on this article.
Firefox 3: 8 Untold Secrets – OS, Software & Networking by ExtremeTech
With the ability to drastically expand the browser’s functions using plug-in extensions and Greasemonkey scripts, many of Firefox 3′s built-in features are overlooked. Here are eight handy things you can do with Firefox, ranging from tiny tweaks to hugely powerful capabilities, all with nary an extension to install.
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Randall Rode's online home for thoughts, notes, and experiments with a wide range of technology topics. Visit the about page for info on my recent projects and professional background. I welcome your comments!
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