Anyone using explorer 8? Help please

[BenF]

Hey everyone, totally non-guitar question.

I have been doing a course in simple web design, for my job.  I have a website developed for my work, which works fine.  However, I have done one for my Auntie's cat breeding business, and it is very much dependent on pictures telling the story.  It needs to look good.  I have an issue with the header jumping over to the left of the page on internet explorer 7, but it displays OK in Chrome, Firefox and Safari.  I can't seem to make it behave the same in each browser.

I suspect it might display right in explorer 8, but that browser dowsn't support the mapping program I use for work, and i had to downgrade to 7 some time ago.

can anyone with explorer 8 have a look and let me know how it displays.  If it is right, then I'll just leave it as it is.

http://www.catsamorie.co.uk/index.html

I know it is a minor thing, but it is so frustrating.  I have sorted so much complicated stuff, but cant fix a simple flaw that affects the top of EVERY page on my site.

The image blow show is correct in Safari, and how explorer 7 jumps the header over to the left.

Appreciate your help guys.

Ben



[attachment deleted by admin]

[ST]

Here it is in IE8
1920 x 1200
Scaled to 50%

[attachment deleted by admin]

[ST]

And for comparison, this is what I see in FireFox 3.6.3

[attachment deleted by admin]

[BenF]

Cheers ST. That's a big screen!! Main thing is that the double jog rule thing doesn't happen and the header lines up. Thank you for that, very helpful indeed!!

I can stop worrying. I know my auntie has explored 8, so it should appear correct for her. I didn't want to ask her and reveal an issue she'll never spot!! I am even more of a novice at web design than I am as a guitarist!!

[ST]

Glad to help.

Have you tried IE8 in compatibility view with your mapping application?

Read about that here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/features/easier.aspx

look on the left side - second link

[BenF]

Thanks ST, that is helpful.  I think the mapping program issue is with script processing rather than a display thing.  It has probably caught up by now, but the hassle of getting explorer 8 uninstalled isn't worth it.  I don't have the ability to do it on my machine without my IT guy logging in as the administrator.  He's never available when you need him. 

That compatability view thing looks very interesting though.

[ST]

Oh - I should confess.

I've got three cats and I enjoyed reading your Auntie's site but if you can bear some input, I found this page very hard to read. It was just the combination of the white text against the mottled grey background that was a struggle.

http://www.catsamorie.co.uk/Ragamuffins/index.html

I had the same issue with this page, but it was easier to read except where the text was on top of the grey cat.

http://www.catsamorie.co.uk/Ragdolls/index.html

And I would definitely have gone with a plain background on this page

http://www.catsamorie.co.uk/Ragdolls/Previous%20Kittens.html

But take all of that with a pinch of catnip and a yawn.

[BenF]

Thanks for the input.  I know what you are saying, it was worse, but I increased the sixe of the text.  Is your screen resolution perhaps making the text too small (text on websites works as a % of standard, rather than a font size).  It became instantly more legible with a larger font.  My Auntie loves the backgrounds (the pastel drawings are of my cats by my mother), and she loves the font as well, so i am not sure what the solution is. 

The beauty of having the software is that I can totally redesign it in due course if it proves to be a problem.  Webdesign is actually a lot of fun once you get past the 'what the hec?????' stage of HTML code.

I'm new to this, and would like to ultimately submit this site as my final piece of coursework before my exams, so appreciate the input.

Incidentally, if you are interested, the first 4 cats on this page are mine.  It's a lot of fun photographing them.

http://www.catsamorie.co.uk/Ragdolls/Previous%20Kittens.html

[ST]

Well no course in web design is complete without a visit here:
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com

(no reflection on your site).

And if you think Griffin is big, I have a big grey male shorthair that comes in at about 19-20 pounds.



[attachment deleted by admin]

[ST]

Here is what I am seeing on a 12" screen at native resolution of 1280 x 800, IE 8

Blame it on old eyes, but there's not enough contrast on the text for me to be able read it without a struggle. I understand why your auntie might like this, but unless she is shooting for a young audience with great eyes or folks who are REALLY committed to trying to read the text I might approach this with a more legible font against a solid background.

Maybe it would help to talk to your instructor about this before submitting it as your final piece of coursework.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[BenF]

That's a big cat!!  Griffin is about 17-18 pounds now.  Still a year of growing in him yet too!

Do you fnd it any easier to read at 1280x800?  If not I'll need to have another look at it. 

That bad websites place has some real crackers - at least mine isn't that bad! (I hope)  The first thing I was taught was to know your audience.  I guess most people visiting my Aunties site will want to see the pictures.  I have been using my own photos where possible, keeping the resolution up.  Her old site was one of the do your own site palces, and automatically reduced pictures down to around 4kb, which failed in providing the audience with what they wanted. 

I guess they need to be able to read it too though.

[ST]

ships crossing in the night (posts crossing in the ether)

Look up Ben.

[BenF]

Cheers, input much appreciated.  I'll have a look at some solutions.

Ben

[Danny]

Well no course in web design is complete without a visit here:
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com

(no reflection on your site).

And if you think Griffin is big, I have a big grey male shorthair that comes in at about 19-20 pounds.

Wow... I like animals and have quite a few. But no cat gets to sit in any of my cases.

                           (sorry ST couldn't help it )