Web Design in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (OReilly))

2.4. Learning from Browser Statistics

However you gather your statistics, they can tell you some important things about your audience and how they may experience the Web. Consider Table 2-2, which provides a set of browser statistics typical of the end of 2005. These statistics may not necessarily be meaningful as you read this book, but if you are completely unfamiliar with the typical browser breakdowns, these will give you a ballpark idea.

2.4.1. What You Can Learn

Once you have statistics in hand, what conclusions can you draw from them? Even statistics as general as those in Table 2-2 provide a jumping off point for thinking about how they might impact design.

2.4.1.1. Standards support

The good news is that 99% of browsers in use today support some level of current standards, at least on paper. Unfortunately, the reality is that even browsers with strong standards support have their own quirky implementations and bugs that require developers to jump through hoops, particularly when it comes to CSS, ECMAScript (JavaScript), and the DOM. That's where web design and development can feel like a black art. Techniques for addressing CSS browser bugs are covered in detail in Chapter 25.

2.4.1.2. Dominance of Windows and Internet Explorer

As of this writing, the vast majority (83%, according to these statistics; others vary) of web traffic is happening on Windows machines running Internet Explorer 6. That means you cannot afford to ignore its unique behaviors and requirements. For example, knowing that more than 80% of your visitors will not be able to zoom text when its size has been specified in pixel units should influence the way you size text with style sheets. Other examples of Internet Explorer's special needs are listed in Chapter 25.

Version 7 is nearing its final release as of this writing, and IE 6 will eventually fall to second in the rank, but it takes several years for old browser versions to fade from use completely.

2.4.1.3. Persistence of old browser versions

Speaking of old browser versions, the statistics above show that browsers such as Netscape 4, originally released in 1997, are still hanging around. In fact, statistics show that there are still a handful of hits from Netscape 2.

With the vast volume of web traffic, even less than 1% could amount to millions of users. If your revenue depends on them, you must continue to keep them in mind and make sure that your site is, at the very least, functional on even the oldest browsers.

2.4.2. Browser Usage Trends

What the statistics above do not show us are some important browser developments over time. The most drastic trend, of course, is Microsoft's complete domination of the browser arena. In mid-1997, Netscape Navigator enjoyed a comfortable 70 to 80% of overall browser usage (according to statistic sites such as those listed earlier); by 1998, that share was down to 50%. Now, all versions combined make up just 1%.

It seemed Internet Explorer was unstoppable, that was until 2005, when it suffered its first drop in browser usage to Mozilla's free Firefox browser. There was a grass-roots campaign to promote Firefox (www.spreadfirefox.com) as an alternative browser to people fed up with IE's security holes. Firefox usage quickly expanded to 5 to 10% of all browser usage (depending on whose stats you use). As of this writing, its rise is slowing. Even so, it has caused Microsoft to recognize the need to improve its security and to continue development of a standalone browser application. Microsoft has plans to integrate web browsing functions so fully into its operating system that browser software as we know it may be obsolete.