|
Tool Tip:
Test Your Pages Like The Pros
by Larisa Thomason,
Senior Web Analyst,
NetMechanic, Inc.
If you had an extra $4500 to spend, would you rather use it to set up a state-of-the-art testing lab to identify browser display problems or take your dream vacation? With Browser Photo, you could do both!
Browser Photo, NetMechanic's exclusive testing service, gives you the resources of a large testing lab - but without the expense. We'll actually open your Web pages in 14 different browser, screen resolution, and operating system combinations to show you exactly how they display in each one.
Find Problems Before Your Visitors Do
Browser display problems aren't a trivial issue: some common HTML errors can break a page in one browser, even though it displays perfectly in another.
For example, many Web developers use one large table to control page size and layout. By the time you get to the bottom of the page, it's easy to forget that closing TABLE tag. Explorer forgives you if you do and still displays the page. But Netscape isn't so forgiving; visitors see an empty page instead of your careful design.
Then there's WebTV. It uses a limited version of JavaScript called JellyScript. Some of the great DHTML effects you spent so much time creating in JavaScript won't work in WebTV because JellyScript doesn't support them. Our Browser Photo errors tour shows you what can happen if you fail to test your site in WebTV and other browsers.
Unless you test your pages, your visitors may find these problems first - and they'll blame your Web site, not their browsers!
Appeal To A Wide Audience
Yes, 70% of Web surfers do use some version of Internet Explorer, but the remaining 30% represent a potential audience of over 17 million visitors! You can't easily write off that many customers, so it's important to test your Web site on other browsers like Netscape, AOL, Opera, and WebTV.
People are loyal to their preferred browsers, so they need a compelling reason to upgrade. Not many visitors are willing to install an entirely new browser or even upgrade their current one in order to view your site. You'll have to test your site on multiple browsers and operating systems to be sure it displays correctly on them all.
Browsers aren't the only problem: PC's, MAC's, and WebTV all have different operating systems and significant display differences. You ignore as many as 5.5 million visitors if you only test your pages on the Windows operating system.
Browser Photo Saves You Space, Time, and Money
NetMechanic has a quick, easy, and affordable solution to your testing problem. With Browser Photo, you can test your Web pages just as thoroughly as your larger competitors test theirs. You don't have to download anything; our servers do all the work. Then you get to view the results online!
- Save Space:You can't get much work done if your desk is crowded with a PC, MAC, and a WebTV system. With Browser Photo, you don't have to set up special systems or waste space on your hard drive with multiple browser versions.
- Save Time: Even with the right equipment, it takes a long time to test each system, screen resolution, browser, and browser version combination. Let Browser Photo do the testing instead. Then you're free to concentrate on other important tasks and view your test results at your convenience in a single report!
- Save Money: A complete testing lab could easily cost $4500 or more. Browser Photo gives you the same resources for only $150 a year for unlimited testing. Or try a one-time test for $15.
|
The Browser Photo section of our site has a complete description of the service and more examples of common problems. Take a tour of the service before you subscribe.
|
Browser Photo Gets 4 Stars From PC Magazine!
