testing browser comptability?

[Jon Slaughter]

How does one go about testing browser comptability without having to install
every browser?

Is there a small browser like utility that will display html but let you
turn off(or its simply not implemented) features like css, JS, etc...

I have firefox 2.0 and IE 7 but I cannot turn off css to test for backwards
compatibility. I also don't want to install a bunch of crap on my computer
just for this reason.

thanks,
Jon

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

How does one go about testing browser comptability without having to
install every browser?

Install several. No need to install hundreds. You have IE (and should
test in IE6, too), you have Firefox, add Opera, and maybe OffByOne just
for fun.

Is there a small browser like utility that will display html but let
you turn off(or its simply not implemented) features like css, JS,
etc...

Install this extension in Firefox:
http://chrispederick.com/work/webdeveloper/
The PrefBar is also worthy; kill JavaScript and others with a toolbar
checkbox.
http://prefbar.mozdev.org/

I have firefox 2.0 and IE 7 but I cannot turn off css to test for
backwards compatibility. I also don't want to install a bunch of
crap on my computer just for this reason.

This web developer toolbar is definitely not crap. Well worth it.

 

[Jon Slaughter]

Install several. No need to install hundreds. You have IE (and should
test in IE6, too), you have Firefox, add Opera, and maybe OffByOne just
for fun.


Install this extension in Firefox:
http://chrispederick.com/work/webdeveloper/
The PrefBar is also worthy; kill JavaScript and others with a toolbar
checkbox.
http://prefbar.mozdev.org/


This web developer toolbar is definitely not crap. Well worth it.

--

Ok, I hae a few of these things installed but after I installed them firefox
crashes randomly. This happened, I think, when the new upgrade came out. I
just disabled most of the things I had to find out which ones are causing
the problem.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Bergamot]

Ok, I hae a few of these things installed but after I installed them firefox
crashes randomly. This happened, I think, when the new upgrade came out.

When you upgrade Firefox, you should also check for upgrades to your
installed extensions. Incompatible versions can easily cause the browser
to become unstable.

 

[Jon Slaughter]

When you upgrade Firefox, you should also check for upgrades to your
installed extensions. Incompatible versions can easily cause the browser
to become unstable.

I did but there were no upgrades. Right now I disabled everything because it
was still crashing. See if the plugins are the real problem or not.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[mr rudeforth]

How does one go about testing browser comptability without having to install
every browser?

Is there a small browser like utility that will display html but let you
turn off(or its simply not implemented) features like css, JS, etc...

I have firefox 2.0 and IE 7 but I cannot turn off css to test for backwards
compatibility. I also don't want to install a bunch of crap on my computer
just for this reason.

http://browsershots.org/

stick url in
goes to new page
tick all browser options required
tick 4hours
save page to desktop for an easy return to look at the damage

 

[Jon Slaughter]

http://browsershots.org/

stick url in
goes to new page
tick all browser options required
tick 4hours
save page to desktop for an easy return to look at the damage

Awesome. I was wondering if something like this has been done. Next they
just need to add the ability for an interactive testing. (maybe something
like VNC)

Thanks,
Jon

 

[scripts.contact]

http://browsershots.org/

stick url in
goes to new page
tick all browser options required
tick 4hours
save page to desktop for an easy return to look at the damage

this one is better-
http://www.totalvalidator.com/validator/ValidatorForm?type=url

 

[Bergamot]

Awesome.

Not really. It can only give a very general idea of how any particular
browser will render a page. It does not tell you how it handles
variations in text or window size, what happens with JavaScript (or with
it disabled) and a host of other variable browser settings.

If you rely only on this service to test your pages, you'll be disappointed.

 

[mr rudeforth]

Not really. It can only give a very general idea of how any particular
browser will render a page. It does not tell you how it handles
variations in text or window size, what happens with JavaScript (or with
it disabled) and a host of other variable browser settings.

If you rely only on this service to test your pages, you'll be disappointed.

i rely on it for layoutonly so it is fine.
oh and it can be configured how you wish in regards to javascript, etc

 

[dorayme]

i rely on it for layoutonly so it is fine.
oh and it can be configured how you wish in regards to javascript, etc

You are not getting Bergamot's point. Layout is not something
independent of the text size users use.

 

[mr rudeforth]

You are not getting Bergamot's point. Layout is not something
independent of the text size users use.

text size i can do for myself because i have opera (as my default browser)
as well as IE and firefox and netscape on my computer, browsershots i use
for linux and mac and other (combinations i havent thought of) things. so i
combine what i can do with what i cannot in order to get an idea of how
things are looking.

 

[dorayme]

text size i can do for myself because i have opera (as my default browser)
as well as IE and firefox and netscape on my computer, browsershots i use
for linux and mac and other (combinations i havent thought of) things. so i
combine what i can do with what i cannot in order to get an idea of how
things are looking.

Fair enough, we all do what we can. I suppose I had in mind, (and
Bergamot too perhaps?), that under different text sizes,
different browsers might have different effects on the actual
layout. So seeing the one effect in one browser might not quite
do the trick. But perhaps you are doing what is as good as can be
expected. Not meaning to be too hard on you here.

 

[mr rudeforth]

Fair enough, we all do what we can. I suppose I had in mind, (and
Bergamot too perhaps?), that under different text sizes,
different browsers might have different effects on the actual
layout. So seeing the one effect in one browser might not quite
do the trick. But perhaps you are doing what is as good as can be
expected. Not meaning to be too hard on you here.

no problem sir.