Dreamweaver® CS3 Bible

Chapter 30. Maximizing Browser Targeting

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Maintaining different versions of Web pages

• Validating your code

• Dreamweaver Technique: Validating and Correcting a Web Page

• Testing your page against specific browsers

• Handling cross-browser compatibility

Each new release of a browser is a double-edged sword. On one hand, an exciting array of new features becomes possible. On the other, Web designers have to cope with yet another browser-compatibility issue. In today's market, you find all the following in use:

• A fair number of current browsers that, althoughfairly standards-compliant, are still different from oneanother in implementation.

• A decreasing number of 4.x browsers, which are limitedin some basic functionality. The exception here is Netscape 4.x,which maintains a small but significant cadre of loyal users.

• A miniscule contingent of 3.x browsers in the machines ofdetermined users who have never (and may never) upgrade.

• A diverse assortment of browsers outside the mainstream, including MSN TV (formerly known as WebTV), and Navigator for Linux.

• Various versions of America Online browsers, which rangefrom being completely proprietary to being a blend of currentand special technologies. (As a specific example, AOL 9.0is not the same as Internet Explorer 6.0, although it is based on it.)

Browser compatibility is one of a Web designer's primary concerns (not to mention the source of major headaches), and many strategies are evolving to deal with this matter. Dreamweaver is in the ...