The Dilemma of Choosing the Right Internet Browser

This is usually one of the biggest game which web developer had to deal with. Which browser should I support? How about IE?

Apart from that, this is also an issue for internet suffers (at least for users who are aware of speed and security of the browser). What is the right browser for them? Should they use Internet Explorer because it is built into those Windows system? Or should they replace them with Firefox because of those stickers and peer pressure from their friends, plus the ability to be expanded with plugins? Or should they use webkit-based browser for speed and fast rendering, but less expandable, yet which browser? Safari? Chrome? Or the unsung hero of poor connectivity internet browsing experience, the Opera?

No. Today I won’t boast any Apple based browser just because I’m a fan of their development stages and technology, but rather pointing out the dilemma of nowadays internet browsing experience. Putting IE7 and IE8 aside, and focus to our long ancestor of Windows based browser, which once was the famous browser of all, the IE6.

This issue response to both parties: users and web developer. For those users, some of them were restricted to stick to the built in application. Its a company regulation thing. This also apply to government based offices. They’re restricted to use the only one and available browser in their PCs, the IE6. As for web developer, they’re in the dilemma of developing IE6 compatible sites and codes, which sometimes consume 2/3 of the total development process. IE6 brings one bug after another and sometimes, some hacks had to be used and this is not what supposed to happen on today’s browsing experience. Those hacks and cheats will consume loading speed.

Moving into web code updates, CSS1 to CSS2, and today CSS2 to CSS3. Here comes the non-synchronized supports through the latest browsers. Some of them support this and that, while the other support the other half. Then, how can we (web developer) pursue with the latest invention? CSS3 animation? native browser video and audio support? HTML5? Now, we’re back to XHTML 1.0 and CSS2 (with some CSS3). Even Opera does not has rounded-curve CSS support.

Well, I have no perfect solution for this. Personally, I’m using Safari + Firefox + Opera + Stainless + Chrome. For IE6 / IE7 / IE8 I’m using VMWare Fusion for Windows Based guest virtual machine. All these browser were used to debug each of the bug available on each browser. Fuh.

For those who are having the dilemma, you might want to visit this page : http://whichbrowserforme.org/

I also did a fullscreen capture of the webpage just incase if you want to use it as wallpaper. I found them quite sleek. Hehe.

Download the 1440×900 resolution : Link