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My problems with IE

August 28, 2005 ( geek )

So, I use FireFox as my web browser. It's the way to go. But occassionally I have to deal with designing for IE. Here are some things that really drive me batty:

Borders/margins/padding: IE implements borders just plain wrong, and it messes with things in weird ways as to where thick borders take their pixels from (inside or outside of the box?)

graphics: OK, people. We have PNG graphics now. IE reads them, but doesn't deal with their alpha transparencies right. So, if you want to do fancy transparent graphics in IE, you have to use GIFs, and probably, slices and table-layouts to keep them all in line, which is SUCH a pain compared to using a non-sliced PNG and have it do correct transparency over whatever background. Seriously.

CSS hover elements: IE only implements hover over links, not over random elements, which means that you have to do javascript in IE for drop-down menus, which is a pain, as js also has crazy cross-browser problems, and it's bad design to require js for navigation purposes, as it doesn't degrade gracefully at all.

Security: This is less web-design and more user-interface. IE is so happy to install 5 trillion toolbars and gadgets and whatnot by accidental button-presses, and you end up with a browser screen with half of it devoted to toolbars that are spying on you. Not to mention the hundreds of IE security holes that take forever to get fixed.

Extensibility: Mozilla-based browsers can support great add-ons, that usually do everything and more than the IE toolbars could ever dream of. Oh, added bonus? They're not corporate, they're not trying to make money, so they're not spying on your browsing habits!

So, if you're reading this in IE, seriously, try firefox. Just try it. You'll love it.

Posted by griffjon at August 28, 2005 11:47 AM

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