[thelist] Test Suite

Stephen Rider evolt_org at striderweb.com
Wed Sep 6 10:50:39 CDT 2006


>> 1. What would theListers recommend in addition to these browsers?

Beyond what you are already testing, I would suggest finding a way to  
test Mac browsers, esp. Safari.  Internet Explorer Mac is still out  
there, but fewer and fewer people use it as it is no longer updated.   
(I have not to date found any significant difference between Firefox  
on Mac and Windows).

People are working on the "Swift" browser <http://www.getswift.org/>,  
which purports to be the Safari rendering engine running on Windows,  
but my understanding is that it's not yet ready for prime time.

Though not many people use it, I consider it a good idea to look at  
your site in a purely text browser, such as Lynx.  It's a good way to  
flag structural problems, as well as holes in usability for people  
who don't have graphics and/or javascript.  Obviously the site won't  
look the same, but you should still be capable of using it.

> 3. Excuse my ignorance of things Mac, but if we get an intel copy  
> of OSX,
>> can it be installed using virtual pc?

> No, you can not install it on a PC machine.
This is correct, however...

> All OSX had been intel based since 10.0.

Not quite true.  Public releases of OSX have been PPC-based, though  
Apple has internally been maintaining Intel-based versions in  
anticipation of the switch to Intel chips.

> You need mac hardware to get it to install.
I do believe there are some virtualization methods out there that  
claim to be able to do this, though I'm not familiar with the specifics.

It is worth noting, however, that if you did pick up an Intel Mac for  
this purpose, you could also install Windows XP on it and run it as a  
Windows computer most of the time, and reboot to OS X for Mac  
testing.  The new iMacs reportedly do quite well as Windows XP  
machines (even with games and such...), and for less money than that  
you could pick up an Intel-based Mac Mini.

Steve



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