What Is a Browser?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that plenty of people couldn't tell you the definition of a web browser — much less the difference between one browser and another. We suspect most folks really don't care, either.

Typical Internet users simply want to turn on their computer and get content from the web without thinking about how they get it. And, really, who can blame them? To many users, the browser that came pre-installed on their computer may as well be called "the Internet."

Well, the EG team cares about browsers more than most people. For our designers and web developers, browsers shape (and often limit) the experiences we are able to deliver to our users.

The Rickety Rowboat

With such little understanding out there about browsers, it is incumbent upon developers to educate their teams before decisions are made regarding browser support.

You could think of the browser landscape like this: Imagine web users as passengers cruising the open water (the Internet) in the boat (web browser) of their choice. They are focused on the glorious mountain vistas (content), not on the boat. To many, an old rickety rowboat seems fine since they have never been aboard a fully equipped powerboat.

Internet Explorer has long represented that rickety rowboat – slow and leaking water. IE has consistently been out of step with its competition. Nonetheless, it has held a grip on the market for more than a decade.

Some users may not realize that browser updates are free, and usually take less than 5 minutes to complete. Others ignore prompts to update. Whatever the reason, those who choose to remain plodding along in their decrepit rowboats, rather than update to the latest version, will never experience the web in all its glory.

Automatic Updates

Google was the first to boldly take matters into its own hands. Users of its Chrome browser are not given an option to update. Instead, the browser automatically updates, ensuring users have the best and most secure version at any given time. Makes sense, right?

Unfortunately, Microsoft took the opposite approach in the past decade with IE. Users of older operating systems are not allowed to update their browser. As a result, a portion of users will remain on outdated browsers until they upgrade their hardware.

Most large organizations limit network users to Internet Explore and typically lag behind the general public when updating browser versions – mostly due to the time and resources required to update and test corporate applications on evolving browsers.

Considering its disappointing history, it seemed IE would never put users first. But there’s good news on the horizon! Microsoft announced it began rolling out auto-updates in January.

This is a major milestone. People who use older computers, or computers provided and maintained by their large corporate employer, will likely remain on IE8 for some time. But home users will no longer have to decide. And the percentage of users on IE8 will sharply decline in the coming months.

[browser usage graphic]

Decision: Build for the Future?

If you are creating a website in 2012, you have a decision to make – will you build for the future, or for yesterday?

People naturally expect a web site to look exactly the same across all browsers. But the industry is shifting away from this notion – especially as it relates to IE8 and lower.

There are vastly better ways to code sites so they load faster, run smoother and look better. The concept is known as progressive enhancement – which basically means you display an enhanced version of the page to users with more advanced browsers. Content and basic functionality is still accessible to users of older browsers, but subtle visual differences may exist.

Typically, the differences are relatively minor. For example, a navigation button may have rounded corners in a modern browser, but will display square corners in an outdated browser.

Comparison: Sample navigation button
Button display in IE6-8	Button display in modern browsers

On the surface, progressive enhancement might seem like the wrong choice – especially if IE8 represents a substantial proportion of your users. But consider whether minor visual differences outweigh the benefits – and consider that old browsers will have an ever-shrinking number of users.

Choosing to build for the future comes with these major advantages:

1. Improved Speed

2. Greater Accessibility

3. Search Engine Optimization

4. Simplified Maintenance

5. Readily “Skinnable”

6. Legacy Planning

EatonGolden falls in the camp of those who believe in progressive enhancement. Over the years, we’ve worked with some client teams who share our perspective, and some client teams with internal decision-makers who insist that a site needs to look the same, not just behave the same. We’ve witnessed time and again how this can increase timing and budget, and decrease the quality of the user experience.

Our point of view is based on the assumption that if a user only has access to an old browser, they won’t have the ability to compare, and therefore won’t know the difference. For example, they will never know that the squared-off buttons they see in their browser would appear as rounded buttons in a different browser. Even if they did realize there was a visual difference, we doubt they would care.

Based on our research and our expertise in this field, we are confident that users do mind if they are missing functionality or content in an experience – but they are not concerned about being presented with different aesthetics (if they even noticed in the first place). Therefore, our recommendation is to allow subtle design variations, such as designing elements with rounded corners to “square off” for users of old browsers.

This approach enables your site, and your users, to enjoy all of the benefits of clean and modern code. Choosing to build for yesterday will negatively impact users of all browsers in perpetuity – even after those old browsers are no longer used by anyone. And until someone invents a time machine, we’re all going to be living in the future. Let’s make sure we like the websites we’re going to use when we get there.

Additional Resources

• Current Browser Version Market Share:
  http://netmarketshare.com
• The Internet Explorer 6 Countdown:
  http://www.ie6countdown.com
• Browsers defined:
  http://youtu.be/BrXPcaRlBqo
• Page load time - the online business killer
  http://www.businessinsider.com