Internet Explorer: A Burden to Web Designers

The use of Internet Explorer by Internet users has always been a burden on the web design community. With the expansion of Web 2.0 technologies such as feature rich CSS based designs and JavaScript ran websites, this browser that controls nearly half the market share for web browsers can no longer be ignored. While Microsoft has taken steps to address the inabilities of Internet Explorer to follow standards, it still makes it difficult for experienced designers to make a feature rich website while also removing or restricting some features as a result of the browser’s failure to stay in touch with the expanding Internet.

As a web designer and developer myself, I have seen first hand the browser’s inefficiencies up close while attempting to develop websites with technologies that were only thought up in the past several years. Currently, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) which is the main standards organization for the Internet has the drafts for the next version of CSS, CSS 3.0, in works.

This new version of the standard protocol used by web designers to make websites graphically appealing with little effort will be introducing new and helpful shortcuts such as the ability to create rounded corners and shadows without the requirement for photo manipulation software. Sadly though, Internet Explorer, still lacks the ability to process the entire spectrum of the CSS 2.0 version, which just leads to the thought of whether it will provide complete support for CSS 3.0 which gets closer to being official as each day passes.

If Microsoft does not start putting more effort into the browser that millions of users already use, then I fear that with the emergence of these new technologies, more and more websites will begin forcing users to only use the browsers that support them, such as Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, and many more. While this would be the easiest solution, it would not be good to the users who are locked in with the browser and do not have the choice to download a different web browsers. Such as those users who use the computer at work or at a public facility and are restricted on their access.

With the evolution of new technologies over the years has come many prebuilt JavaScript libraries that are simple to use and can be modified to work with all modern web browsers, including Internet Explorer. I recommend that designers and developers take these libraries and apply them more for appealing effects, such as fading in order to avoid the use of CSS that Internet Explorer still lacks. By doing so you are providing a more rich user experience while also providing legacy support for the unfortunate users who still lack the ability to engage in standards of the Internet.