Knights Pharmacy Website update
March 4, 2011When I met with the client to discuss the website layout and agree final approval, I also upgraded the pharmacies Internet browser from IE 6 to IE8, I also installed Firefox Internet browser. This would allow the client to view the website development with the latest browsers.
A week after upgrading the pharmacies Internet browser, I received a telephone call from the client saying they had to reverse the upgrade of Internet Explorer and go back to use Internet Explorer six. This was because Internet Explorer eight was not compatible with the pharmacies computer software.
I had quite a lengthy conversation with the client about different Internet browsers. The client has always requested a website that will work on the four major Internet browsers, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari. I informed the client of the different versions of Internet Explorer. The version of Internet Explorer, the pharmacy is using was at least six years out of date and only 3 to 5% of the UK population now used that version of Internet Explorer (statcounter.com).
At the moment hardly any design elements work correctly in Internet Explorer six. The repeat background does not appear, the navigation does not work at all, PNG images do not display correctly and the interactive image banner also does not work correctly. I appreciate that the client has requested the website will work in all versions of Internet Explorer. However, to design a website that is interesting and engaging that works in a browser that is six years out of date is extremely difficult and virtually impossible.
A compromise with the client was reached, Google statistics script will be placed in each page, to gather statistics on what web browser the visitors are using and the web browser version. After a period of three months if it was found that a high percentage of visitors are using Internet Explorer six, amendments would be made to the website. However, the compromise will be completed after the completion of the project and charges will be made accordingly to any design elements that need to be changed.
After careful consideration, I have now designed a second pharmacy website that will now work in Internet Explorer six. I feel it is important for me to design the best website possible for the pharmacy. However, to get the website working in Internet Explorer six, design elements have to be changed, deleted or completely redesigned. I think the client will appreciate the website working in Internet Explorer six.
The interactive image banner has been completely removed; the banner would not work at all in Internet Explorer six. The banner has been replaced with fade in and out images. The repeat background image has now been replaced by a block colour; the background image would not display correctly in Internet Explorer six. All images used on the website have been changed from PNG’s to JPG’s, the images now display correctly. The reason for using PNG’s images was the transparency. Transparency images worked better with a background image. Transparency images do not display correctly in Internet Explorer six, the images are displayed with a grey background instead of being transparent. Further developments to the Internet Explorer version that still need to be completed, the drop-down on the navigation menu does not work correctly, this will be completed in the next coming week.
A visitor to the Knights pharmacy website who is using Internet Explorer six, will only see the Internet Explorer six version of the website and will not know of any other version. An if statement has been placed in each page of the website, the statement detects whether the user is using Internet Explorer six.
After receiving feedback from fellow students, amendment to the website has been made the logo has been made 30% smaller. There was a lot of empty space at the top and bottom where the logo is situated. The change is subtle; the decrease in size has improved the use of the space. Over the next week the website will be loaded to the Knights pharmacy URL, rather than test pages on my server, this will allow the database to be tested correctly.
