It’s an age-old quandary, with a host of solutions with varying levels of success.
Testing web designs across the spectrum of browsers has always been a priority for web designers. Features that work in one browser do not always work in others, so it’s imperative that a good designer test each browser type to see any bugs. In a recent bout with Internet Explorer 7, I stumbled across a browser plugin for firefox that makes cross-browser testing a one-stop shop.
Spoon.net’s Browser Sandbox is a plugin-powered web-based application that allows you to test a multitude of different browsers. These online browsers perform the same visually, but you will notice that some of the back-end options and features either dont function or are buggy. However, the minor downside forgiven, it’s a great way to ensure the best possible visual experience for the end user.
Internet Explorer 6,7, and 8
Firefox 2, 3, and 3.5
Apple Safari 3 and 4
Google’s Chrome
and Opera 9 and 10
PS – to avoid what could be a first-time user annoyance, make sure to click the upper-righthand corner of the box the first time you use the program, to install the plugin. Otherwise, the main buttons on the page only open the website of the browser’s author or company. After installed and restarted, the buttons will open the respective browser.