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Cross-Browser Compatibility - Operating System and Browser Trends: Linux... who cares?

Internet usage has grown more than two hundred percent in the last seven years, which has kept the competitive browser market alive and well(1). Just a few years ago, Microsoft Internet Explorer was the browser of choice for nearly eighty five percent of users. Today, that statistic has fallen dramatically . Other browsers, such as Firefox, are now a strong rival to Internet Explorer and have captured around thirty eight percent of users. While Internet Explorer 7 has seen an increase in popularity, Internet Explorer has still seen a steady decrease overall. In contrast, Firefox and other browsers have seen consistent increases in popularity . Operating System trends have not been so dramatic. The vast majority of individuals still use a Microsoft operating system. However, nearly thirteen percent of users are not included in that group. Of those thirteen percent, more than three percent use some distribution of Linux (2).

The term cross-browser compatibility generally refers to a web site's compatibility with "mainstream" browsers on Microsoft and Apple operating systems, such as "Mozilla Firefox, Opera,... Safari[,]... Internet Explorer[,] and Netscape" (3). While some developers may believe that cross-browser compatibility has a responsibility to the mainstream only, it is worth noting that tens of thousands of Internet users prefer both operating systems and browsers that are not considered mainstream. Additionally, mainstream browsers are not always standards compliant. It may be wise to consider whether at present, and in the future, dedication to cross-browser compatibility should weigh the respective compliance of the browsers in question. All of the latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, including (per beta results) IE 8, fail the ACID 2 test. Although the browser may hold a significant market share, it does not adhere to the coding standards and specifications set forth by the W3C. To contrast this failure, Konqueror and other web browsers for Linux have passed the test. To incorporate browser standards compliance into an understanding of what cross-browser compatibility is (or should be) could have a noteworthy impact. If an accepted definition of cross-browser compatibility found a compromise between the current "majority rule" mentality and browser standards compliance, both the mainstream and growing minority communities might be better served.

There are many reasons to pay serious attention to the evolving operating system war. For the modern consumer a primary consideration may be the fact that Linux is much less expensive than Windows . The "chief technology architect at Merrill Lynch & Co" stated that "the cost of running Linux is typically a tenth of the cost of... Microsoft alternatives" (4). As Computerworld pointed out, the overall costs of Microsoft and Apple products have "relative parity" (8). Thus, the cost of running Linux is literally a fraction of the expense associated with all mainstream operating systems. Additionally, "it takes fewer people to manage the Linux machines than Windows machines" which is why some large organizations prefer to maintain Linux rather than Microsoft environments. This year has seen the beginning of a potentially significant boost for the popularity of Linux. IBM now provides Linux products because the Oracle Enterprise, Novell SUSE, and Rat Hat distributions of Linux provide a "future-proof...long-term strategic platform".As reported on MichaelHorowitz.com, in "June 2007 Dell started selling consumer machines with Ubuntu Linux pre-installed" (4). According to Dell's website, this move was due to "popular demand". Wal-mart, the number one retailer in the world who's sales exceed "the combined sales of the second, third and fourth largest retailers", has begun marketing "a sell out" Linux-based computer that is receiving "glowing reviews"(5)(6). That computer, the Everex's TC2502 gPC, is "the first mass-market $200 desktop computer" and is "more responsive than [Microsoft Windows] Vista... even on more powerful computers" (7).

Such a boost for Linux may translate into a statistically significant increase in non-mainstream browser usage. Developing the habit of best effort compatibility for "other" standards compliant browsers could prove to be not only a benefit to many thousands of current users, but a necessity in the future.


Additional Information:
The Web Standards Project: ACID 2 Guide
ACID 2 Test Results
Ubuntu Linux
General Comparison of Operating Systems
General Comparison of Web Browsers

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