Typically web designers create web sites that are accessible to the broadest audience.  However there are times when alternatives need to be provided to the web audience.  Many organizations include as part of their site design alternate pages that would display depending on the browser a person is using.  So a user who is viewing a site through Internet Explorer version 6 (IE6) would see a different set of web pages than a user viewing the site through IE7 or IE8.  Unlike with print design, to achieve a particular look on a web site requires text and graphical information be communicated to the web browser in a certain way in order to be displayed properly.  Older browsers are unable to handle some of the commands that tell a browser to display a page a particular way and so it looks different in different browsers, on different PC’s and even using different monitors.

Part of the design process is to design a site so that it looks the same across the greatest number of technology platforms and then view the finished web sites on all of the most popular browsers to ensure the site will display as intended to the majority audience.  In most cases, an organization may choose to have their site developed for the two or three most popular web browsers.  When this is not possible, an alternate solution is to have a message to the user display on the site with a link to upgrade the user’s browser: “This site is best viewed using Mozilla Firefox version 3.5 –  Download it here.”  This way you ensure your audience is able to view your web site as you intended for them to see it.

In short, different Internet Browsers view web page information differently.  The most common browsers people are currently using are Internet Explorer versions 6, 7 and 8 and Mozilla Firefox on a PC.   On the Mac, people are using Safari and a few people are using Opera.

I have enclosed a link to download the latest version of web browsers that will display most technology:

Internet Explorer Version 8

To check your browser version, from the Internet Explorer Menu click on “HELP” and then click on “ABOUT INTERNET EXPLORER.”  If your browser is version 7 or earlier, please update to version 8.

Mozilla Firefox 3.6

To check to see if you have the latest version of Mozilla, click on “About” and select the option to “check for updates.”

Safari (for Mac or PC)

To check your browser version for Safari, click on the “Safari” menu at the top of your window while your Safari browser window is open and then select “About Safari.”

Please Note: you do not have to enter your email address to download the browsers.

ADJUSTING YOUR MONITOR RESOLUTION:

WINDOWS: To adjust your monitor resolution, right-click on a clean space on your desktop and click “PROPERTIES” to access your desktop settings.  Then click on the “SETTINGS” tab.  Now look for the section that says “screen resolution” and move the slider left or right to the desired resolution.  You can click “apply” to test the changes. Play with it until you get it right and click “OKAY” to keep the setting.  Leave this setting as is once you get the perfect resolution for your monitor.  There is no need to change it again unless you change monitors.

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