Tools like Browser Shots are very good at letting users see what a web site looks like in different browsers. A more challenging goal in testing web apps is to test out functionality in different browsers and asnwer questions like: “If I’m using Google Chrome, will the change credit card feature work at the very end of the purchasing process on Expedia?” (My recent experience suggests the answer is unfortunately no, but I digress).

Shameless plug for a related test design tool to help address this problem of cross-browser testing of functions within web apps: My company has created a tool that will help testers identify a small subset of test cases that can be run on different internet browsers. It is the Hexawise test design tool. It is starting to receive some pretty encouraging feedback from early users. As shown in one of the sample test plans included in the tool, for example, it will help users identify 35 test cases to be executed in 6 different browsers (down from 72 billion possible use case scenarios) that would be very effective at finding defects in the Google Maps get directions web app, for example. The tool automatically selects the minimum number of test cases that would be required to match (among other things) every single browser type tested against every single function tested (e.g,. example functions in Google Maps would include: get driving directions or get walking directions or “zoom in all the way” or “show photos” or “drag the blue line marking the route,” etc.)

Hexawise is a new tool, offered as a software as a service. We have both a permanently free version as well as a reasonably-priced commercial version. For now, we’re making even the fully-featured commercial version freely available to help encourage adoption. Similar tools are offered for licensing packages that start at $6,000. All I’d ask is that if you like it, that you tell your friends about your experience or consider posting a tweet or a quick blog post. If not, I’d welcome your suggestions on how to improve it. / End of plug.

Thanks.

- Justin
____________________
Justin Hunter, Founder
Hexawise
http://www.hexawise.com/users/new
“More coverage. Fewer tests.”

Anyway, thank you for the blog. I have added browsershot.com to my toolbox.

I actually use lots of browsers, depending on what it is that I am trying to do. Of course, I’m surrounded several computers of different architectures – because I am a total geek! Not everyone has that “luxury!”

I like Opera, too. In fact, I’m in it right now while I post this. I like its built in mouse gestures!!

Answering Kai – I use VmWare Fussion. I have two VM’s… XP(ie6) and an XP with ie8. I only use them for testing, so I made them pretty small. I also do my web development on an Ubuntu VM… then upload to my production machine. VMWARE rocks!

Speaking of development… I try to create my sites be happy in all the latest browsers, but also go back and make sure ie6 looks ok… but as time goes on, I will care less and less what IE6 thinks!! In fact, even now some of the design issues I’m having, I look and ask myself if I can live with it… “Oh, that looks good enough!” Then I say F**k it and move on to the next bug! LOL… who wants to waste countless hours on bugs in a browser that the world is putting behind themselves!!?!??!

As for all the other “little guys” out there… well they need to grow up! They have to start somewhere… so eventually they will be able to do all the same things the “big guys” already do. It’s just survival of the fittest… and Firefox is in damn good shape!

When designing for Internet Explorer, I find there is usually something that still needs tweaked, even after everything is looking great in Firefox.

Firefox is far better than Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer only has the largest number of users because it is shipped with Windows.

The Multiple IE installer is useful for installing different versions of Internet Explorer on the same machine.

Another site similar to Browsershots is Browser Cam:

http://www.browsercam.com/

I have bookmarked this page…

A-Grade table listing is useful…

I’m already using ie6.css method…

Try yahoo’s reset.css method… its also useful…

I honestly wouldn’t even bother with IE 5.01 and earlier. That’s just being cruel to yourself.

I’ve been using Firefox, Chrome, and IE6 for testing. Frustration comes when you can’t work things properly on IE6…THAT’s WHEN THE HACKING COMES IN…
Anyway, I already installed IE7 and have the rest of the IE versions installed too… using this (tada!…) MULTIPLE IE INSTALLER.

It’s quite amazing because my major problem of not shifting to IE7 is because of the IE6 update…
YES, you can’t go back to IE6 after update. Anyway the tool is simple and easy to install.

Really great points Chris. Looking forward to more useful posts!

So, how do you develop and test your websites in IE6, IE7, IE8 with only using Macs? Or does being a web developer on Mac always mean that you have to run a second (Win) machine on the side? That sux!