CSS2, Microsoft and Webmasters


Websites generally appear very similar on different platforms. For a web master and designer it becomes difficult to make user experiences rich as they look alike in any OS / Browser. The main problems they face is W3C Standards compliance issues and security with their Internet Explorer browser.

Is Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) the world’s most popular browser? Yes but IE is losing it’s rate as Firefox and Mozilla support PNG Transparent Alpha and CSS2 but, IE does not support. What’s really interesting is IE 5 for Mac supports both PNG Transparent Alpha and CSS2 but IE for Mac has stopped its development. Perhaps Microsoft likes Apple more than their own name “Windows”.

Why Internet Explorer should follow the W3C Standards?

  • Makes it easy for developer to design a great website on other browsers than just IE
  • Provides more design formats a.k.a. PNG24 with Transparency, CSS2, etc. that want to develop for Internet Explorer.
  • IE continues to be #1 web browser in the world.


Microsoft’s next generation Longhorn with IE


You must have heard of the next big OS which will be released in few years. As IE  version is up to 6.05 with little difference besides the new Longhorn look. But one day Microsoft will have a fully supported W3C Standards browser. Most people desire of the next version IE are standard support.

The main issue with IE Windows platform is rendering Transparent PNG24 and CSS2  images. Transparent PNG24 files are not supported by IE.

Hence there are many ways to solve the compliance problems with the W3C Standards. A  development of a plug-in that lets IE users to render content  supported by other browsers but not IE. Versions of IE that don’t render content the plug-in can be compatible with IE 5.x to the latest in Longhorn. There might be other ways than a plug-in to make IE render rightly. There can be other ideas too.