Re: Strange "Netscape Problem"

Rob,
 I can appreciate what you are saying. But in fact, most people, just in it
for mail and browsing, are just not interested. I have helped many set up
their computers and installed programs. Although I tell them about other
ways to browse, they do not want to deal with anything that is complicated,
and about 5% really want to learn how windows works, or even where the
defrag is.  I could not imagine teaching them how to use linux, it is way
out of their league.
Many end up with Netscape because their ISP has it on the installation cd. I
always steer them away from it.  It is one less program on the HD, and IE is
already available.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Prentice" <RJP(at)clickdms.com>
To: <hwg-techniques(at)mail.hwg.org>
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2000 8:22 AM
Subject: RE: Strange "Netscape Problem"


| people do have a choice yes. but, designing sites for one browser only
| will drive people away. there are over 200,000,000 people on the
| internet. 15% (ish) or there abouts use netscape browsers. that is
| 30,000,000 people. a lot of custom to lose on an e-commerce site.
| then there are people who do not know there is another alternative to
| netscape, or people who do not have a clue on how to change browsers.
| people can be very stupid and ignorant.... a client asked me why the
| sound on his computer isnt working. it turned out that he didnt have an
| speaker plugged in. one client also asked how he used a floppy disk.
| with people who know absolutly nothing about computers how are they to
| know that there is more than one alternative, and how are they to know
| the pro's and cons of changing? and how are they to know that each
| browser handles the code differently?
|
| "We have a moral obligation to accomodate them and not
| discriminate"
|
| i think discriminate is the key word.
|
| but, you have the choice to support whatever browser you want to. maybe
| more people should think that netscape users are disabled in some way
| (not physically but in a 'surfing' sort of way....) then you can
| accomodate them and the net would a viewable and usable place by all.
|
|
| Rob.
|
| (that last bit i can see people taking offence to it.... just smile and
| take it as a joke... the world will go smoother if everyone did that).
|
|
| -----Original Message-----
| From: Valerie L. Criswell [mailto:valerie(at)suresource.net]
| Sent: 03 November 2000 12:55
| To: Budget Web Design & Advertising; hwg-techniques(at)mail.hwg.org
| Subject: Re: Strange "Netscape Problem"
|
|
| > Back to the analogy (sort of), this is why we make offices and retail
| stores
| > ADA compliant, so those few people with disabilities can come in just
| as
| > easily as anyone else.  This is why we make ATM's with braille and
| closed
| > caption television for the hearing impaired.  Why would you want to
| miss
| out
| > on anyone that could be interested in what you have to offer?
|
| With all due respect, that's a ridiculous analogy.  People with
| disabilities
| have no choice.  We have a moral obligation to accomodate them and not
| discriminate.  However, changing browsers is free and available to
| anyone.
| I prefer to use this analogy.  If you have a site that uses IE only
| technology, and you let people know that they really should be using IE
| to
| browse your site, it's like having a fine restaurant and requiring the
| men
| to wear a jacket and tie.  If they don't want to dress for the
| atmosphere,
| they don't have to eat there.
|
| ~Val
|
|

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