Why Are There Such Great Differences?

The apparent dilemma stems from fact that we all have our own set of visitors. Each comes to us from a vast pool of many millions of Web users. Those who show up on my site may never even hear about yours, let alone visit.

Thus my visitors are not representative of yours, except as to fundamentals. For example, all site visitors ask first, "What's in it for me?" Such basics relate to every site. The specifics do not.

Even if a massive, well respected study reported only 1% of surfers use 640 x 480 monitors, it still might not apply to your site. For as suggested above, pool is so vast, hoping to draw a truly random sample from it is impossible.

Further, things change rapidly on Web. Not long ago, Netscape was browser leader. As Microsoft continued to demand Internet Explorer be installed on all new systems delivered, dominance of Netscape began to fade. Even after being acquired by AOL, market share continued to drop.

Can you assume it will continue to do so? That would leave us with only one major browser. A Microsoft product. A company already at odds with Justice department in anti-trust actions. It may prove to be in their best interest to assure that Netscape regains a significant share of market.

What seems so today is suspect, for it may not be so tomorrow. Rather than making assumptions which may prove false tomorrow, better plan is to accommodate all possible options today, and be prepared to make changes tomorrow.

The Mistake That Matters Most

But second mistake made by fellow mentioned above is in ignoring Netscape users however small their numbers be. Suppose only 5% of my visitors use Netscape. To toss away this many potential customers is foolish at least. I take time to make it work for them.

Hasten Slowly

JavaScript has been available for some time. Is it wise to use it if N% of systems can not deal with it? The better plan is to offer an alternate way to access your site for those who can not.

Plug ins are popular of late. Will users take time to download and install one so as to see your site in all its glory? I doubt it. What's best is to offer option to do so, but be sure your site functions effectively without it.

One of my systems uses a Pentium II with awesome supporting resources. However, it doesn't have a sound card. A site that requires I have one, will hold my attention only so long as it takes to hit Back button or enter another URL.

Killer Assumptions

If we make assumptions about power and tools our visitors have readily available, to extent we are wrong, we are driving them off our sites.

When you consider how hard it is to draw a new visitor, driving even one away seems a pretty silly thing to do.

What will happen to people's view of me if I "link" to a company with a publicly recognized bad reputation? Or to someone I directly oppose? Or to one I totally mistrust? If this isn't crystal clear, consider a link from your site redirected to a p o r n site.

The "New" Ebook Revolution

Several of most popular ebook compilers link to IE for display. (My ebooks do; this may change soon!) Imagine what gibberish TOPtext can make of an exquisite ebook page.

The future of ebooks remains uncertain. Sure, they'll be around. But format is now up in air. It's a blow to a lot of people heavily committed, some with profits not yet rolling in.

The Insidious Factor

One of things that makes this such an ugly evolution is that webmasters may never know it's happening. Further, there's obvious impact of slowing download speed, because of additional time to add links. And this matters. But it is minor compared to what your pages will look like.

Just how does one design a great looking, carefully polished site that can hold this appearance when randomly highlighted in yellow?

What Is Microsoft Thinking?

I don't know if Microsoft is in any way a part of this particular "experiment." But effects are so much like results they expect from Smart Tags, it is difficult to accept this implementation as a coincidence.

I suspect Microsoft will watch developments with great care. If they can figure a "better" plan, will they implement it in Windows? If so, then whatever browser is in use, results will be same. And MS will be in a position to control advertising. There is inconceivable profit potential in this.

Legal Possibilities

I have no doubt but what this issue will be brought to court. I've a picture of a Ford site reacting to "truck" highlighted on their site with a link to a Chevy site.

This part of tale may prove interesting. I'm fascinated by following notion I don't believe has come up before.

If you buy a book, you may deface it in any way you please. It will be argued that since downloaded page is on visitor's computer, they own it, that user (or software selected) can therefore do as they please with it.

To me, way in which a page is delivered to a visitor is immaterial. It's my creation. Excepting for limitations in my coding, I expect my visitor to see it as created.

A Boon To Advertising?

Maybe. It is something entirely different to webmasters who have spent agonizing hours building site content.

How will this end?

I can't even guess. But if it does not, Web as we know it now will be history.