Re: Question - CSS & Mac vs PC

Jim:

Sometimes we all tend to get so carried away, trying to be all things for
all people, that it helps to back off and take a look at the enormity of
what we are up against here.

Once we realize that we could never hope to cover everything and everyone,
we can choose those we either want to--or have to--make our webs accessible
too. (Writers prerogative to end sentence in preposition.)

You then make your choices.

Example: If you were constructing an interstate highway, you would need
lanes wide enough for the Mac's. Mac trucks, that is. No choice. But what to
do about some guy like me with a little Ford Escort?? Sure, you can paint
while lines on the edge of the roadway, but basically we Escort drivers
CHOOSE to drive this little toy car and we are well aware that if we wish to
see the white lines on both sides of the lane we are driving in--we better
bring along field glasses.

The point?? People choose the hardware and software they use and you have no
choice but to assume they are aware of their limitations. I know this is
silly. All of we humans always think that whatever we have, just MUST be the
norm. But is there anyone out there so stupid as to not realize that if he
turns off his images or Java, he just might MISS something??

All the differences pointed out in this thread simply illustrate a tiny
fraction of the literally thousands of different possibilities used by those
surfing our webs.

General statements like "Mac images are darker" etc. offer little help
because there are Macs and then there are MACS. A local computer graphics
shop still uses an older Mac that she paid over ten thousand dollars for. My
buddy at the computer repair shop has one of those little gum drop things.
Both are Macs but they could not be more different. Aside from the half a
yard difference in the size of their screens, the color is all different.
One has all the latest color correction software the lady could afford. The
other is still just like it came from the box.

This could go on ad nausium about size, video drivers, resolution and
monitor types but I'm starting to already bore myself. A sure sign this has
already went on far too long.

So you make your images as best you can, with "medium" gamma, contrast and
color depth. Play the percentages and render it on a PC. I'm sure by this
time, those surfing with a Mac are used to seeing dark pictures. (or is it
light ones--never can seem to remember?)

Best wishes
Ted Temer
Temercraft Designs Redding, CA
temer(at)c-zone.net
www.temercraft.com/
www.newsredding.com/


> I appreciated Kali's response to this thread. It gave me new insight
> since I don't have a Mac to play with and I have only used PC's in
> my 14 year history with computers, networks, and software design.
> I hope to have Mac in my office by mid summer so I can utilize its
> strengths as well as compare my designs on that format.
>
> I understand the "Browsers verses W3C HTML standards" issues
> and the "Netscape verses Internet Explorer" design and
> compatibility problems. Thanks to Kali, I now see some of the the
> Mac verses PC issues out there. Why so many variables, issues,
> and incompatibilities?  I'm sure that these problems are not new
> and have existed for some time.
>
> My question is this:
> Has anyone been able to compile a list of common factors and
> information for colors, screen size, variables, do's and don'ts...etc.
> that would help one to design for all systems and browsers no
> matter what the format or platform? [Example: use only this list of
> colors (or text, or screen size, etc.) because Mac's, PC's, and all
> browsers can use them and not have compatibility or display
> issues:] I am looking for a general list of safe design components
> that would allow all browsers and computers to safely utilize and
> enjoy the internet.  ---Or am I just day-dreaming?---
>
> Just a thought...perhaps a wish!
>
>
>
> James Haslam
> Active Member of:
> The HTML Writers Guild
> International Webmasters Association
>

HTML: hwg-basics mailing list archives, maintained by Webmasters @ IWA