One of my favorite bloggers is Joel Spolsky, who runs Fog Creek Software in New York City. His most recent post is about the coming browser standards meltdown. You see, Microsoft has a problem with IE 8, the next version of its browser. (Wait a minute! I barely got used to IE 7, and now they want me to upgrade again?) I loved his post for many reasons: first, because he is a funny guy and uses some great examples of what Martians would do if they had standards. Second, because he quotes one of the most wonderful people on the planet (and my co-author of my first book) Marshall Rose. And finally, because of stuff like the following:
And the web designers are discovering what the Jews of Mea Shearim have known for decades: just because you all agree to follow one book doesn’t ensure compatibility, because the laws are so complex and complicated and convoluted that it’s almost impossible to understand them all well enough to avoid traps and landmines, and you’re safer just asking for the fruit plate.
Do take a moment and head over to his site and read through his post.
Maybe this is an overly simplistic solution to the problem, but: How about having IE8 default to standard behavior, but include a “This Looks Funny” button on the toolbar. Pressing the button would toggle IE through its various compatibility modes (perhaps there’s more than one that might apply). IE would then keep track of the fact that the current page “looked funny” and should be rendered according to whatever mode it was on when the user stopped clicking “This Looks Funny.”
That button text might be too whimsical (not to mention — would people click it while viewing a particularly humorous YouTube video?) — but the idea might be worth kicking around.