Blasted Netscape Compatibility! This is proving to be a whole lot more tricky than I'd hoped it would be. Typically, it wasn't until I'd put a lot of time and effort into getting the new DIV+STYLE layout to work, that I realised that Netscape 4 didn't handle it. Obviously I want my pages to be be as Universally-viewable as possible. Of course, the lastest updated browsers will display it how I designed it, but at least most older browsers should display something readable. Sadly this doesn't want to be the case!! It's irritating. It's all down to the Netscape/Microsoft standards war that was going on a few years back. Each had their own additions to HTML that they wanted to make standard. But Netscape hit a stasis-point in their development. They made the switch to the Mozilla project, but this meant that as some changes happened to the Official HTML Standards, netscape got left behind. But the newer version (Netscape 6, Mozilla, and probably any other derivative using the Gecko Engine) runs a lot slower on older machines. I'm going to try fiddling about with Stylesheets. Currently I've got styles defined inline. But it seems that by using an actual stylesheet, I can at least provide a workaround to let Netscape fail gracefully. Meaning something readable should be left behind.

Ick!!! Being ill sucks! I've had some sort of cold-'flu thing since very early yesterday morning. I think I've finally managed to fight off the worst of it now. More on the New Design Things are slowly, but surely, progressing. The best workaround for the Netscape 4 issue is more of a cop-out, but at least it's a working cop-out - which is more than can be said of some of my earlier attempts. Basically, it puts a line at the top of the page stating that the page won't display properly under Netscape 4. Cop-out, yes! But at least it will let NS4 Users know why they get a mostly-blank page. Once I've looked up some more stuff under PHP, I'll see if it's possible to put some fancy coding in to put in the disclaimer line in Netscape only - so's not to appear at the top of Every Browser.

Netscape and <DIV> - Latest It seems that it won't work in Netscape 4 because that version of Netscape was trying to introduce a new container class called <LAYER> - whereas Microsoft used <DIV> in IE. <DIV> took off. <LAYER> didn't. As a result, all newer browsers understand <DIV>-tags, even Mozilla/NS6! However, not even NS6 will render <LAYER> properly anymore. Also, whereas Lynx (and probably some other older browsers) will at least ignore the <DIV>-tags gracefully, Netscape 4 just doesn't seem to handle them at all. It just goes all blank. Seeing that <DIV> is a part of the HTML Standard from HTML3.2, I will be sticking to my new design.

More on the Update Hmmmm. Well I seem to be having problems getting it to work with the older versions of Netscape (well, it won't display on Netscape 4.x on Linux, anyway). But it works well with IE, with Opera (on both Linux and Windows), and I've re-tweaked the basic layout so it shows consistenly on LYNX too! I'll check it under newer Netscape/Mozilla, and see if I can track down some older Windows version of Netscape to test it on.

Updates still going ahead. Well I've altered by Blogger Output a little. It definitely fits with the new style I'm currently working with. I'm trying to cut down on the tables-within-tables approach, using DIV and styles more instead.

Memetic Virus Scanner

http://totl.net/VirusScanner/

Human Virus Scanner

The virus that have infected you will be show here along with their cures, if known.

Viruses you suffer from:

Pokemon

Pikachu! Use your hyper-electric-get-a-life move now!

USA

Rule, Britannia! Britannia rule the waves! [repeat]

Junkfood

Eat some real food. Something which you can identify the source of every ingredient, not the point of manufacture.

Sci-fi

Stop wearing the stick-on ears.

BBCB

CTRL-Break, and get a real computer. Repeat: "Mode 7 was not a good thing."

Religion

Read "God's Debris" by Scott Adams (yes, the Dilbert guy)

British

No need for cure. Benign virus.

Japan

Big is good. Small is bad. Giant robots would not make a good last line of defence for Earth.

Southampton

Move to the Isle of Wight.

Windows

Try MacOS X. It's based on UNIX, it has a smoother UI than Windows and it doesn't suck.
As an extra feature the boxes look nice.

Politics

Stop caring!

Brand Names

Having a well-known name doesn't make it good.

Conspiracy Theory

Face it, the elected government is in control. Actually that's quite scary.

Environmentalism

Consume more stuff! It's easier to buy new stuff than to recycle.

Macintosh

Use a mouse with more than one button.

Football

Do something unhealthy and indoors, away from the Bears.

Viruses you might suffer from:

Linux (95%)

Install the latest version of Microsoft Windows. Learn to love it.

Gaming (70%)

Life is not a game. Roll 3D6. On a 4 or more go out and do something with your life.

X11 (60%)

I hear Mac OS 10 Aqua is nice at this time of year.

Computer Games (90%)

Stop staring at the screen and get some fresh air. You should see a doctor about the RSI in your thumbs.

Hippyism (93%)

Free love is passe and potentially dangerous, and patchouli smells like cat piss.

Prog Rock (60%)

Long hair looks dumb with a bald spot. Listen to CD's they don't crackle.