So I just got done with a project for a client. I was asked to produce a XHTML Strict 1.0 version of 6 psd files that I was provided with. It involved jQuery and all the rest. Anyway, while I was working I thought of all the pain I take to get things working properly across different kinds of viewing conditions. For example, I test on all browsers (including IE6). Test with JS off. Test with Images off. Test with CSS off. The content needs to look readable throughout these conditions and should be degradable where the viewer doesn't have the latest browser. I wanted to know, what kind of conditions do you guys test your websites in? And how much do you reckon should be charged for producing a site(specify whether u mean design and coding or just coding) of such standard.
Most devices people use to browse the Internet are now being upgraded so they can handle most of the stuff, especially CSS. Sooner or later you won't even need to do a lot of these tests. It's good that you do though. I just check all the browsers and see that they work fine, most browsers to bring up images and can use CSS nowadays anyway.
I'm a bit in both worlds, on one hand I understand the value of cross compatibility, but on the other hand I feel much like Google - w3 compliance doesn't matter if the site renders, and IE6 users will have to accept that they are living in such a buggy and insecure environment I'm not going to encourage them by making my sites work perfectly with them. (Thinking of creating a big warning on the top of the site...)
And you'd be wrong. Google is a strong proponent of web standards and you see much of their work converted over to 100% compliance. It depends, at times, on the browser you are using cause they look for that and do the best they can with what you've got. If you don't code to standards, you will soon be out of a job. Absolutely agree. Those who turn off javascript and css know what they're doing and what they're in for. No need to cater to their whims. My contracts say their sites work in IE, Firefox, Safari and Chrome, though they work in Opera, too. The current version and one back. IE6 compliance is a 30% additional hourly charge but no one's ever asked me for it.
General practise for me is to make sure the site renders and is accessible in the top 5/6 browsers and also now I try to test accessiblity and usability on mobile browsers just as an extra service. What are your thoughts/practises for testing compatibility for mobile browsers or is it not neccassary? I dont test anymore with images or CSS off, I test with JS off. I suppose though for commercial use it really needs to have all platforms/environments capable of accessing the sites content.