![\"image\"](\"http:\/\/www.little.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/image.png\" "\\"image\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nPreachers need not apply<\/h2>\n
Part of building a quality web site is testing your page on multiple browsers. Sure, you could just put a banner on your site that says \u201cthis site optimized for [insert browser-du-jour here]\u201d\u2026 but keep in mind that only visitors who are already running your browser of choice will get a warm fuzzy feeling from that message. Everyone else will just think you\u2019re condescending or lazy (or both).<\/p>\n
The browser manufactures have received the message loud and clear: standards are good. The good news is it\u2019s getting easier to make a browser-agnostic web site, but because software development is an imperfect science, web developers still need to check their work.<\/p>\n
Step 1: install a bunch of web browsers (natch)<\/h2>\n
Perhaps this step is a no-brainer, but you can\u2019t accuse me of not being thorough. Well, perhaps you can\u2026 but, you can\u2019t accuse me of not including an obvious step 1. <\/p>\n
My testing browsers of choice (using alphabetical bias, as a change up from my usual mindless MSFT minion bias):<\/p>\n
- \n
- Apple Safari<\/a> <\/li>\n
- Google Chrome<\/a> <\/li>\n
- Microsoft Internet Explorer<\/a> <\/li>\n
- Mozilla Firefox<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When you install the browsers, accept the option to create a desktop shortcut, it will save you a step later.<\/p>\n
Note: You could save yourself testing time by checking just the big three: Cr, IE & FF. Hit up Wikipedia for a quick summary of browser market share<\/a> to decide on how you want to invest your testing time.<\/p>\n
Step 2: create a folder of browser shortcuts<\/h2>\n
Now that you\u2019ve installed your tools, gather shortcuts into a single folder (I created a folder in my documents called "Browsers"). If you have shortcuts for each browser on your desktop, drag them into your folder.<\/p>\n
![\"image\"](\"http:\/\/www.little.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/image_thumb1.png\" "\\"image\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nIf you don\u2019t already have a handy shortcut for the browser to use, you can navigate to program files and use right-click to drag the .exe file to your folder to create a shortcut.<\/p>\n
Step 3: create a toolbar<\/h2>\n
To create your browser testing toolbar, right click on the Windows taskbar and click New toolbar in the toolbars sub menu.<\/p>\n
![\"image\"](\"http:\/\/www.little.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/image_thumb2.png\" "\\"image\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen prompted to select a folder, navigate to the folder of browser shortcuts you created. This will create a little pop-up menu of browsers\u2026 but that\u2019s not handy enough for my tastes, I want one-click convenience.<\/p>\n
Right-click your taskbar and unlock it.<\/p>\n
![\"image\"](\"http:\/\/www.little.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/image_thumb3.png\" "\\"image\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nRight click your browsers toolbar and uncheck Show Text and Show title.<\/p>\n
- Google Chrome<\/a> <\/li>\n