In order to maximize developer efficiency and maximize the experience for the vast majority of the network (90% or higher), browser support should be more limited than it has historically been. Older browsers may have access to content, but this access may be limited, and the visual appearance of the site will be drastically simplified. Currently any new site must support the following browsers at launch:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6.0 SP2 or higher
- Apple Safari versions 2.0 or higher
Browsers built on the Mozilla rendering engine, which include:
- Mozilla 1.5 or higher (Mac and PC)
- Firefox 1.5 or higher (Mac and PC)
- Netscape 7.0 or higher (Mac and PC)
Some modern fringe browsers to consider (though not necessarily supported) include:
- Opera 8.0+ or higher
- Camino 2.0 or higher (a Mac variant of Mozilla)
- MSN Explorer 7.x+ (this is a variant of Internet Explorer)
Older browsers such as Netscape 4.x or earlier versions of Internet Explorer should not be tested, and treated on an "as-is" basis. At a minimum these browsers should be able to view essential site content, i.e. news and tour dates. If a site follows Sony BMG Coding Standards this should not be a problem.
Support Lifecycle
In order for these standards to stay relevant, they must be continually re-evaluated as new versions and updates are released. Developers must not be hindered by outdated standards. A support lifecycle is described below. This lifecycle takes into account the fact that Internet Explorer is rarely updated and updates are largely unannounced. Safari and most Mozilla-based browsers however feature built-in software update mechanisms, and are updated with great regularity.
- Internet Explorer: any version released in the past 12 months
- Safari and supported Mozilla-based browsers: any version released in the past 3 months
Browser support for sites with an older (25+) demographic should support:
- Internet Explorer: any version released in the past 24 months
- Safari and supported Mozilla-based browsers: any version released in the past 6 months
Flash Plug-in Support
With 97.7% of users worldwide now having a minimum of Flash version 6, it is no longer necessary to perform plug-in detection. The fringe users who have no version of Flash aren't very likely to fit into any Sony BMG demographic. The risk of turning away users due to a plug-in detection error is greater than the risk of preventing a fringe user with no Flash plug-in from seeing anything. In addition, most web browsers offer built-in plug-in installation guides that will inform a user about a missing plug-in and provide a link to download, so this risk is minimal.
For users that already have the plug-in, any Flash site built according to the Sony BMG Installation Guide performs version detection of the user's installed Flash plug-in. In the event that the user does not have the required version for a specified movie, the Express Install system introduced alongside Flash 8 is leveraged to perform an in-browser upgrade for anyone using Flash 6 or higher. If a browser restart is required, Express Install will bring the user back to the same page that required the upgraded version of Flash.
Currently, any new site should be built using Flash version 8.0 or higher at launch.
For Further Reference
- Adobe — Flash Player TechNote: Express Install FAQs
http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=6a253b75 - Adobe — Macromedia Flash Player Version Penetration
http://www.adobe.com/products/player_census/flashplayer/version_penetration.html
Flash Plug-in Support Lifecycle
Due to the cutting edge nature of Macromedia Flash, a more aggressive support lifecycle is required in order to stay relevant. Sites should be built using versions of Flash released in the past 6 months.