So who do you please?
While you'd have to be a hermit to not know of the widely publicized browser wars between Microsoft
and Netscape, a tough new kid on the block has also tossed another new monkeywrench into the scheme of things.
WebTV, rescued by an infusion of cash and support from Microsoft and it's muscular consumer
electronics partners, is now being mass marketed like never before as both an entry-level Internet system, and a cheap surrogate for more
expensive laptop, and similarly priced used computer systems. The only problem is that these TV convertors do not behave at all like most
web browsers, and their growing presence on the net is sending many webmasters back to the drawing board to find a suitable way of
accomodating their growing bevy (up to 12%+) of users.
In fact, Microsofts cash has lately come in rather handy to the WebTV boxmakers. Read why, from this Reuters news flash at ZDnet's interactive Investor.
Microsoft settles false WebTV advertising claim with FTC.
Maybe this wasn't one of Mr. Gate's better investments after all. Nonetheless, they will doubtless "innovate" some ways to get things working better as time goes on!
One can hardly fault their wisdom, however as web appliances and other platforms are bound to replace the stale old PC sooner or later.
Solutions, please!
While you wouldn't want to limit yourself to building your whole website to please these thingy's, there are a few ways to get
around most of the problems easily. One of the most useful tools for evaluating your site's performance, is the new WebTV Viewer program for
both Windows and Mac, that allows you to see the (gasp) results of your handiworks, as they will be mangled by the better of WebTV's
two strange "browsers".
It appears they seem to want to please everyone, because now they even have a Mac version. It's a must have for any webmaster!
Get the newest WebTV Viewer here:
developer.webtv.net (4.2Mb)
Below is an example of the full size WebTV rendition of our front page, as a screenshot from the viewer. Note the limited colors, lack of Java and
generally strange fonts.
Read more about the behavior and future of these devices in the compatibility section!
