upgrading browsers is *not* easy (RE: [thelist] How important is height when using tables?)

[Sarah Sweeney]

On 7/30/2004 1:45 PM Joel D Canfield wrote:
> You can watch anything on broadcast TV using a b&w,
> and other than the lack of color, it works *identically* to a color TV.

You can still view web pages built without tables in older browsers (if 
they are well-built; again, I did say they should be *easily 
accessible"). They might not look the same, or as good, but you can 
still view them. Just like a show on a black and white TV won't look the 
same or (arguably) as good, but you can still watch it.

> Absolutely not true. Upgrading a piece of software which they had to
> struggle to learn in the first place is like pulling teeth for a
> non-technical person. Go to your grandmother's house and try it. 

Well, my grandmother is one of the few people I know who knows how to 
program her VCR... but that's OT :) I think perhaps upgrading a browser 
is *intimidating* to non-technical people, but there is not reason for 
it to be difficult, as I believe is true for many tasks performed on a 
computer (e.g. Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V).

> Or, go to the 150-person business down the street and try it. They'll
> ask why their entire IT department should spend two weeks on a project
> that nets the company nothing but frustrated and confused users. It's a
> non-starter to  the average CFO.

Eventually, all technology gets replaced. Rotary-dial phones have been 
replaces with touch-tone phones, typewriters have been replaced with 
computers, etc, etc. It's just a matter of time (fingers crossed).

> Besides, you can do a full CSS/tableless layout and make it pretty.
> Appearance isn't even the question here. Yes, even with wonky garbage
> like NN4, you can do *something.* Not the *same* thing, but something.

Yes, exactly! :)

> Put yourself on the other side. What if your automobile's maker told you
> what type of sound system you could have in the car, or insisted that
> you change from bucket seats to a bench seat because it was 'better' in
> *their* opinion? It's *your* friggin' car, isn't it? You're the
> *customer*, aren't you? Shouldn't you get your car in the color you
> want, with options *you* like?

If you have a car from 1964, it'll be harder to get parts. If you have a 
browser from 1997, it will be harder to find sites that works exactly 
the same as in newer browsers. But there's a difference between having 
an older version of something because you love it and because you just 
haven't bothered to get something new.

> Visitors are potential customers; not just at a site that sells
> something, but at a site that *says* something. When I write my music
> reviews, I want the widest possible audience because I'm passionate
> about what I'm saying (or I wouldn't bother writing.)
> 
> I'm *not* going to tell even 4% of my visitors to go away until they
> adopt my perspective on technology. If your gramma wants to use WebTV to
> read my reviews, I'll give her a big ol' smooshy hug and fetch her some
> iced tea while she's reading.

Again, I did say that content should be easily accessible :)

-- 
Sarah Sweeney
Web Developer & Programmer
Portfolio :: http://sarah.designshift.com
Blog, etc :: http://hardedge.ca