Yahoo! Graded Browser Support
The game of global Internet domination
John Kary | johnkary@ku.edu
Web Development & Interface Design
University of Kansas, Information Technology
November 2010 KU Web Developers Meeting

‣ Browser Wars
‣ Yahoo! GBS
‣ GBS at KU

Early Browser Wars
Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape_Navigator

Early Browser Wars
Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape_Navigator

Early Browser Wars
Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Internet_Explorer

Early Browser Wars
Image: http://www.teamlalala.com/blog/2009/12/23/best-viewed-in-netscape-3-0/

Current Browser Wars
Image: http://www.toy-tma.com/learning-toys/board-games/risk-board-game-rule/

Current Browser Wars
Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Risk_board.svg
Image: http://www.ashersarlin.com/archives/2004/09/honestly_who_co.php

Current Browser Wars
?
XP

Yahoo! Graded Browser Support
(or GBS)

What is it?
Survey
Select
Advocate

GBS – November 2010
Source: http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/articles/gbs/

Why?
Supporting GBS means ensuring core content and functionality is...
1. Accessible without images, CSS or JS
2. Accessible using only a Keyboard
3. Accessible by older browsers, but hides
all advanced functionality prompts are
You see the pattern here...

“”
Why?
Availability and accessibility of
content should be our key priority.
What Does “Support” Mean?
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/articles/gbs/
Expecting two users using different browser software to have an identical
experience fails to embrace or acknowledge the heterogeneous essence of the Web.
What Does “Support” Mean?
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/articles/gbs/

Support?
As web developers,
how do we "support" a specific browser?

Support?
We allow every user to consume as much visual and
interactive richness as their environment can support.
What Does “Support” Mean?
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/articles/gbs/

How are Grades of Support Determined?
Identified or Unknown
Common or Rare
Capable or Incapable
Modern vs Antiquated

Grades
C-grade
A-grade
X-grade

C-grade
HTML YES
CSS NO
JavaScript NO
Minimum level of support for a guaranteed experience
Content delivered only as semantic HTML
CSS and JS are withheld
Sample of browsers tested

C-grade
HTML YES
CSS NO
JavaScript NO
IDENTIFIED vs UNKNOWN
COMMON vs RARE
CAPABLE vs INCAPABLE
MODERN vs ANTIQUATED
IE < 6
Firefox < 3

A-grade
HTML YES
CSS YES
JavaScript YES
Highest level of support
Content is fully delivered
Fully tested

A-grade
HTML YES
CSS YES
JavaScript YES
IDENTIFIED vs UNKNOWN
COMMON vs RARE
CAPABLE vs INCAPABLE
MODERN vs ANTIQUATED
Chrome on XP
IE 8 on XP and 7

X-grade
HTML YES
CSS YES
JavaScript YES
Mid-level level of support
Content is fully delivered
NOT tested

X-grade
HTML YES
CSS YES
JavaScript YES
IDENTIFIED vs UNKNOWN
COMMON vs RARE
CAPABLE vs INCAPABLE
MODERN vs ANTIQUATED
Maxthon
Flock

GBS – November 2010
Source: http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/articles/gbs/

Updates
www.yuiblog.com
Issued quarterly

Q4 2010 Updates
• Chrome updates a lot, XP Chrome is best benchmark
• Added A-grade for WebKit browsers on iOS & Android
• Move Firefox < 3 to C-grade
• Forecast A-grade for Firefox 4 & IE9 on Windows 7
upon release
• Forecast moving IE6 from A-grade to C-grade in
Q1 2011
Source: http://yuiblog.com/blog/2010/11/03/gbs-update-2010q4/

GBS at KU
• We target all A-grade browsers
• Don’t (currently) withhold CSS/JS from old browsers
• Will drop IE6 “support” in next template (date unknown)

Browser Stats at KU
www.ku.edu
2,000,000 visits per month
36% 32% 24% 7%
Source: Google Analytics

Browser Stats at KU
www.ku.edu
2,000,000 visits per month
36%
IE8 26%
IE7 8%
IE6 0.01% (27,000)
Source: Google Analytics

Questions?
Source: http://xkcd.com/519/