When scrambls launched we supported all browser platforms but Internet Explorer. As veterans of the industry we knew that IE would pose a unique set of complications and so temporarily put it aside. We've been tackling the IE implementation in earnest for a while, and now with growing confidence I can say it really is coming soon. We believe we've now conquered all the major hurdles; but it's been a major effort, and that's just for IE9. IE8 imposes yet another set of unique and difficult incompatibilities.
The experience sheds light on an industry problem that few outside the web development community appreciate. Microsoft's battle for dominance over the web that began in the late nineties continues to this day. While our code ports seamlessly across all other major browsers, to support Internet Explorer requires a near complete rewrite. This is not a problem unique to us. It's been a burden to all web projects. The global drain on productivity due to this divergence in web standards must be staggering. Everything for the web that's a bit complex must be built twice: once for Microsoft, once for everybody else. It's not defensible.
No comments:
Post a Comment