Tips for Backward Compatibility

Newer web browsers support advanced features like frames, layers, scripts, and embedded plugins. These all have options to allow text to be displayed if browsers cannot use these advanced capabilities. Always use these to provide appropriate text for older browsers so they can still obtain the important content on your page.

Note that appropriate text is not a note telling people they should upgrade to the latest greatest browser because they are stupid to be using an old browser. Always remember, it's your job to adapt your pages to their browser, not the other way around. That's what separates bad web designers from good web designers.

Some examples:

If you use the "<img>" or "<area>" tags, always use the "alt=" option to display alternate text if the image cannot be shown.
If you use the "<frameset>" tag to build frames, always use the "<noframes>" tag to display text for browsers that do not support frames.
If you use the "<frame>" tag to define frames, remember that Lynx can build menus from the text in the "name=" option. Try to use wording for this name that makes sense in a menu like "Main Menu" instead of "left_frame".
If you use the "<script>" tag, always use the "<noscript>" tag to provide alternatives for browsers that do not support scripts.
If you use the "<layer>" or "<ilayer>" tags, always use the "<nolayer>" tag to provide alternatives for browsers that do not support layers.
If you use the "<embed>" tag to embed plugins in your document, always provide a "<noembed>" tag to support browsers that don't have that plugin installed.

Please send comments about this course to Kevin.Lowey@Usask.CA