Browser Tip:
Prepare Now For Internet Explorer Changes

by Larisa Thomason,
Senior Web Analyst,
NetMechanic, Inc.

In October 2003, Microsoft announced an important change to 2004 versions of the Internet Explorer (IE) browser. You need to take action now if your site uses Flash or other embedded content. Otherwise, visitors using the new version of Explorer will get an unexpected message when they visit your site. Instead of your great Flash intro, they'll first have to navigate through a dialogue box that asks if they "really" want to see the page content.

The Dialogue Box Of Doom

DMX Zone writer Bruce Lawson coined a great name for it - the "Dialogue Box of Doom" - and he's not exaggerating.

New versions of IE will no longer automatically play your embedded Flash, video, or music files. The seamless user experience you work for - and visitors expect - will be gone. Instead, visitors won't see your embedded content unless they agree to do so. Affected versions of IE will first display a dialogue box like this one before playing your active content:

That's because the patent dispute at the heart of this change applies to embedded applications that "automatically" open in the browser. As Microsoft sees it, the application isn't opening automatically if visitors have to agree to view it. But what scares Web site owners is the good chance that the applications may never get opened. Spooked visitors may use their click to leave the site rather than view more of it.

Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, offered a stark description of the change, saying it:

"…would render millions of web pages and many products of independent software developers incompatible."

A Controversial Patent Dispute

This change is due to a patent suit brought against Microsoft by a company named Eloas. The name is an acronym for "Embedded Object Links Across Systems." Basically, Eloas claims to own (along with the University of California) the patent for the technology that allows browsers to automatically launch external files like Flash, RealPlayer, MP3, and PDF.

Microsoft argued in court that the technology it uses is different from that developed by Eloas. However, the US District Court for Northern Illinois disagreed and ordered Microsoft to pay Eloas $527 million in damages. In addition, Eloas asked that Microsoft pay it a licensing fee each time an embedded object is launched in Explorer. Not surprisingly, Microsoft refused that demand and so is making changes to new versions of Explorer due out in early 2004.

Microsoft's decision to change Explorer before the appellate court reviews the verdict is controversial. Some in the industry charge that Microsoft acted prematurely and that its decision unduly burdens Web developers and Web site owners by "…off-loading the cost of the Eloas suit on to Web developers."

Washington DC Attorney Chris Murphy noted in an October USA Today article that "…juries can be sympathetic to underdogs" but also points out that the appeal will be heard by a three-judge appellate panel and not a jury. "That could give Microsoft better odds."

In an unusual move, the US Patent office is reconsidering the patent, a process that could take up to a year. But until then, Eloas is allowed to enforce the patent so Microsoft is going ahead with changes to its browser.

Microsoft spokesman Michael Wallent asserts that the issue is being overblown because most sites will only have to make minor changes. He also notes that, "…it wouldn't be prudent for us to just sit back and wait for the legal process to play out while the bills keep accruing." If Microsoft ignores the ruling, the company could be found in contempt of court and forced to pay even more in damages.

Microsoft may have deep pockets, but they're rarely accused of wasting money.

Most New IE Versions Will Change

But what about your pockets? Are they deep enough to handle the consequences of this change? Before you answer, determine just how many of your visitors may be affected.

Some visitors won't see any change:

But many others are affected:

Sure, people are notoriously slow to upgrade their browsers, but remember that the new versions will be installed on most new PCs and automatically updated when existing XP users install new service packs.

Check your server logs to determine how many of your current visitors will be affected and also consider how the changes may affect those people you're trying to attract. Are you willing to risk losing even a small percentage of your traffic?

Update Your Embedded Content

Probably not, so put together a strategy now and decide the best way to handle the change.

Microsoft released a test version of the new behaviors in IE and made it available to Web designers. To view it though, you must have the XP operating system installed along with the Windows XP SP1.

Don't have XP? It's still relatively easy to estimate the extent of your problem just by looking at your source code. The patent dispute specifically applies to plug-ins that are embedded in HTML using one of these three tags:

The solution to your problem may be as simple as modifying these tags to change how you deliver your content.

For many developers, that means using external files to deliver content instead of placing it directly in the page source code. This is the same technique we discussed in our May 2001 JavaScript Tip "Page Headers and Footers". Microsoft believes that this technique will not violate the Eloas patent and will not require any licensing fees.

Both the Microsoft and Macromedia contain much more information and detailed tutorials on how to effectively implement the changes on your Web site.

This isn't an issue that will affect a huge number of users immediately. But the number of affected users will grow daily once Microsoft releases the new IE versions and adds them to their service pack updates.

Keep Visitors Happy

When visitors have a problem at your site, whom do they blame? Not their browsers and certainly not themselves. They blame the Web site and usually don't return.

So while you're looking critically at your site and solving this IE problem, consider other problems visitors may encounter: browser incompatibility, HTML coding errors, and slow-loading pages.

NetMechanic offers a full suite of webmaster tools that help you find and fix those problems. HTML Toolbox scans your pages for coding errors, browser-specific code, broken links, and slow pages. The subscription version even corrects coding errors for you! Browser Photo shows you actual screen shots of your page in 16 different browser and operating system combinations.

Find and fix problems before your visitors report them. You want them to be contacting you because they want to order your products or purchase your services, not to report problems with your site.