Browse Happy: But don’t sell to the converted

Just to play devil’s advocate here, what’s so bad about seeing one extra banner lying around, even though you are one of the “converted”?

While ideologically opposed to browser-specific hacks and unnecessary javascript (mainly because I’m too lazy to bother) I did remove the ‘get firefox’ link from my wp-admin stylesheets, because they only work properly in firefox anyway.

macmanx, it’s simply not necessary. you wouldn’t go to convert Christians to Christianity; why bother pushing Firefox to Firefoxians?

notthatugly, it’s not javascript, it’s just a HTML comment modified so IE interprets it.

why bother pushing Firefox to Firefoxians?

Because I’m not trying to push Firefox on Firefoxians, I’m trying to push Firefox on non-Firefoxians. Unfortunately, the Firefoxians will see that tiny little button as a by-product.

Consider this:

You own an Apple iPod, yet while driving down your local freeway, you see an Apple iPod billboard. Do you call Apple and suggest that find a system which prevents iPod owners from seeing this billboard? At least the images I use are 80×15.

I think the bothersomeness of the FF link depends on the type of website. If it is commercial, and you know that many of your users/customers have FF, and they continue to see a “use FF” button on your website, it could indicate to your customer, “Wow, s/he doesn’t know me very well… why am I being asked to do something I’ve already done?”

Obviously, that’s a pretty broad hypo, but there’s at least one instance where a website owner might want to tailor the type of messages his viewers see.

“I think the bothersomeness of the FF link depends on the type of website.”

Since the issue is about the Firefox icon/link in the *admin* pages, what is presented to ones readership is not really a concern here.

I am against all sorts of browser sniffing,

The whole web is in disarray only because of this, in the intial days there were just I.E and Netscape… so all the code was based on identifying the browser and supplying each browser a diff code based on the identification but alas since then there are more browsers and this has made the issure more complicated…

Do you call Apple and suggest that find a system which prevents iPod owners from seeing this billboard?

This is more analogous to turning on your ipod and being told onscreen that you should really get an ipod.

“This is more analogous to turning on your ipod and being told onscreen that you should really get an ipod.”

Only if we’re talking about Firefox itself inserting a “download Firefox” link everywhere you browse.

I think its more like a Dell computer coming with the ‘Designed for Microsoft Windows XP’ sticker on it.

just a suggestion, sheesh.

It just makes more sense to me to not bother with the Firefox buttons in Firefox. It just bugs me to see it over and over when I already have it. Think of a typical user – “ok I got firefox, now what? they’re still telling me to get firefox! What’s the point, it’s no different.” It’s different to the iPod billboard because we can do something about this, as opposed to the billboard. I’d love a billboard to looked to me as an ipod owner, “Hey cool you got an iPod. Here’s some stuff you can buy for it now!”

And obviously people have a difference of opinion regarding the use of browser-specific code. Doesn’t bother me, honestly, if it subtly alters the experience as necessary – how is this any different to the CSS box model hacks? Not much. Someone, give me a convincing argument against it (like “It’s not XHTML Valid” or “It still shows in Broswer Y when it shouldn’t” or “it breaks accessability guidelines”) and I’ll not use it.

Kafkaesqui, I was offering this as a more general suggestion than just the admin pages.

“Kafkaesqui, I was offering this as a more general suggestion than just the admin pages.”

Then perhaps I didn’t understand.

In regards to WP I don’t have a problem with a browser check hiding overt advertising depending on which one I’m using. It’s a tweak that won’t affect functionality nor in any way impact my use of WordPress. So as suggestions go, it’s not one I’m compelled to take a stand against.

If aimed at site admins (in general), it’s really up to those folk. Again this doesn’t affect anything of importance to me, so I leave it to other site admins to see its merit (or not).

On my site…I’m not just coercing non-Firefox users into dowloading it. I’m also letting visitors know *my* preferred browser, while subtly noting that my blog–though it should work in other browsers–was designed with Firefox in mind. In other words: I have a button-ized link to Firefox on my pages because I like Firefox, and I want people to know it.

When I am browsing with FF and I see that nice button that urges me to download FF, I swell with pride and happiness, and know I have made the right choice. Please keep that button in. However, when I am browsing with IE …

What about “Buy a Mac” logos for PC users…

??

Can anyone advise how to remove the Browse Happy button ? thank you.