Take Back The Web

A week or so ago, a fellow blogger brought to my attention that my sidebar content is down at the bottom of the page. She asked if I was playing with my template, and I said no. Then I did a little test: I viewed my blog in Microsoft Internet Explorer, hereinto referred to as IE. (This is also convenient, because you can make up phrases like Inherent Evil and Incompetent Exploring to go with the abbreviation).

I told my buddy that it was an IE thing, and suggested she use Firefox.

Then the other day I saw a different blogger write about her site looking all wonky, and that she didn't want to post anything when her blog looked such a mess. I left a comment explaining that it looked perfect in Firefox. Then I explained that Microsoft has added extensions to the HTML used in pages created by their software, FrontPage. These extensions do NOT meet the accepted world wide web standard. The result is that perfectly fine pages not created with FrontPage look all whacked in IE. I thank Allan for explaining that to me, and I hope I got it right here.

This morning I was thinking about this, and checked my stats to see what browsers people are using. I use the free version of StatCounter, and I can see details for the last 100 pageloads.

Of my last 100 visitors, 69 are using some version of IE. 26 people visited using some version of Firefox. Four Mac users out there stopped by with Safari 1.2. One lonely Netscape user came to my blog via a search for Black Eyed Peace.

Now, here's a question for you, dear readers: which browser are you using? How does my blog look to you? A screenshot of what it should look like appears below the fold. (I have IE 6.0, and will not upgrade to 7.0. However, 15 of those 69 IE users have 7.0 -- I wonder if it makes a difference?)

And here's another question: If you're using IE, why? Please give Firefox a try. You'll be glad you did.

Edit: This may also be a Typepad and Blogger issue. But really, get Firefox.

As always, you may click on the images to enlarge them.

Comments

[cmhl]

I have firefox & ie at home (but use firefox), and only IE @ work. but honestly, I have never noticed your page having a problem...

[Seuss]

Here's something odd for you - I'm one of your scant few Safari users, and I've noticed that Safari typically renders things the same as Firefox (I think they're both built off the same frame, basically). On your main page, the sidebar is all the way down at the bottom beneath the content. But when I viewed the full entry on this and came to comment? Sidebar's right where it should be.

I'm willing to put the blame on a bit of Typepad wonkiness :)

[Monty]

My comments are exactly the same as cmhl, except I work from home.

[Monty]

I think someone tried to grab my machine using IE. Maybe it was someone phisshing in my e mail. Any thoughts Ali?

[bhd]

Your blog looks as lovely as your lovely lovely toes.

[cj]

Hi Allison! I am on a mac, and I use firefox. I have been a loyal firefox user for about 2 years now I think. Its so much better than IE.I had problems too with my blog appearing funny to some using IE. :)

[Chris]

Friends don't let friends use IE.

[Margaret]

I use IE because it's the evil I know. (hee hee) I come through bloglines where your sidebar looks just fine) I will have to check it out off Bloglines. My problem is thus: Whenever I try anything new, I manage to *screw* it up royally; I then spend hours trying to figure out how to fix it, cry my eyes out, etc...I am the only one in my family who knows anything about computers, so I'm on my own.

[kristy]

I'm using IE and, strangely, you have no side bar at all--well, a blank side bar exists--what appears to be side bar content is loaded at the bottom of the main column. Oddly, when I click to view comments, side bar content migrates back to the right where it belongs.

I have a Bill Gates voodoo doll, and get a lot of satification pushing pins through various parts of its anatomy.

[jeorg]

when my darling husbad used to design our website, before i went to typepad, he always designed it freehand, and then tweeked it for IE. i asked him why. he then explained that the average internet used actually uses IE which explains your stats. he then went on to tell me some other things about the average internet user. i fit into the average internet user standard, except that i use firefox b/c he forbade me from using IE on the laptop. so there you have it.

[Jay]

I see what your talking about. IE has the sidebar under your posts.
IE6

[angela]

That is cool to know. My blog sometimes looks very strange to me too. I will try Firefox. Thanks!

[janet]

I'm on a Mac and have the same experience as Seuss.

[Susan]

I use IE because it was loaded on my computer and I heard that Firefox is not safe virus-wise. I did use Firefox last year for awhile and got a virus shortly afterwards, so I have stayed away.
Your blog looks fine to me and has never been missing anything. Mine, on the hand, usually has something missing when I view it.

[kim]

I have a mac, thus I am one of the elusive 4:)

I feel like a little exclusive club member, but now am curious to see if it looks different elsewhere...your blog always looks great to me!

[newwavegurly]

I'm one of your other Mac users (viewing in Safari), and I'm in the same boat as Seuss. When I am on the home page (initial page) of your blog, the sidebar information is all down at the bottom, but it appears where it should when I click on an extended or individual entry.

Hope that helps!

[madame l.]

mac, firefox, blog looks fine although allan's takes longer to load probably because of flickr.

[Melissa]

Firefox for me. Also I wanted to mention people who use Opera, it will show up on your stats as IE. It's weird, but true.

[Thomas]

I'm an IE guy by profession. I have to know it inside and out, and using it day after day is the only way I can keep it faults... er... "features" straight.

I've used Firefox and IE7; the tabbed browsing experience is nice, but hello: OS2 called and they'd like their idea back. If I had to chose between the two, I'd have to pick IE7, but only because then when I call Microsoft for additional support, they can't use the knee-jerk response of, "It must be a Firefox problem."

[sallyrogers]

I use Firefox whereever possible and detest it when certain websites (usually work related) force me over to IE. Tabbed browsing is the only way to go, for one thing! Your blog looks great to me - no sidebar problems at all.

[Catheroo]

Three cheers for Firefox! I love the tab option, and the colored tabs are so lovely! My blog also looks whacked in IE (same problem with the sidebar).

I agree with Chris "Friends don't let friends use IE." Someone needs to make some Cafe Press goodies with that on them.

[Eric AKA ptooey]

IE version 6 while at work here ('cause it's THEIR machine, duh.) Sidebar is clear down on the bottom of the page until clicking on 'Comments', then it looks just fine.

I use Firefox at home, natch, and everything looks just hunky-dory there.

[ms. sizzle]

i love firefox.

[mags]

The site looks fine to me, as usual. I'm running Firefox 1.5.0.4 on a Windows machine (but only because I'm at work!). At home on my Mac, I'm also using Firefox, or sometimes Safari.

The only reason I even leave Internet Exploder installed on my machines is for testing how certain pages look before posting them.

~mags

[anica]

How do you use Firefox. I don't understand any of this.

And I know it will take years to tell me everything.

[samantha]

Pumpkin convinced me to use Firefox, and I switched, mostly so all the blogs I read would look like they were supposed to (still can't see the pics on yours though Ali!), but I still kinda miss IE. I find Firefox to be really slow - it takes a lot longer than IE to start up and takes its own sweet time opening pages.

[steph]

when i view the main page, the sidebar doesnt exist, when i view each entry as a page, it looks fine. im using IE 6.0. how weird...

stupid microsoft...

[Melanie]

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Always nice to find a fellow Frenchie. :-)

And yes, this whole IE problem bugs the hell out of me too - another site I manage uses some database software to distribute calendar events on the page, and it goes totally wacko in IE. It sucks.

[sandra]

I'm a Firefox loyalist and your site looks great to me...although I'm now worried that mine might suck on IE (goes to check)...

[Janet]

I'm a Mac user, too, using Safari. I'm seeing what the other Mac users are seeing. I do have Firefox, too, so maybe I'll start using that. I'm not picky as long as it is NOT IE. :o)

[Wendy]

Well I'll be damned. A year plus ago I used Firefox. Then I got a new computer and just never put it back on. Well, after your post, I downloaded it and yup......your site is much better now!!!

[edieraye]

See! It wasn't just me. ;)

[kklink]

I use Safari at home, and the page appears fine. At work I have to use IE. I'm using 6.0, and on the main page your sidebar appears at the bottom of the page, underneath your entries. If I view each entry individually, it appears as you indicate in the site images you posted. I can send screenshots if you need them - let me know!

[Aly]

I'm using IE and all your sidebar stuff is at the bottom for me too...but the weird thing is that this only happened last week--Before it looked perfect (just like your picture up at the top)...and then it got weird. What's up with that?

[Aly]

Oh, and I'm on my work computer (shhhh, don't tell anyone!), so that explains the IE.

[Carrie]

I use Firefox too. I have IE on my system though for the odd thing.

Your blog looks perfectly fine to me :)

[Heimo]

I made the same observation as kristy & others here (except the thing with the voodoo doll) -

using the AOL browser (that's IE compatible) & IE & the sidebar is missing - in

firefox (which I often use parallel to AOL browser) everything is allright but

also in Opera the sidebar is missing. -

It can't be a typepad problem in general, because e.g. in Allans site you can see the sidebar & since recently it could also be seen with IE in your site - did you change something in the template recently? - there's a war of conventions &

standards between those browser producers & monopolist microsoft who tries to overrule them all. -
Since I wrote sites without tools in html + javascript I always test them in

different browsers before putting them in the net. As much as I prefer firefox to

IE - I recently also had the problem that a javascript diashow didn't work well

with firefox - which worked with most other browsers fine. So you have to try to

find a way that suits most of the common browsers. - As I just looked in the

source of your blog I saw it's all done with a typepad generator - this generator should of course be compatible to all standard browsers - so if

you changed something in your template it should be still perfectly translated into an compatible source. - But sometimes these generators don't understand everything you'd like them to do & then deeply misinterpret &

generate mistakes. - Maybe one new-added line in your right sidebar was one

character too long to fit in the standards of a typical 800 pixel wide screen or a little divider line didn't fit the scheme - so in result all the sidebar was moved from the side to under the main body - hmm - my conclusion is: I don't believe that IE has changed something in interpreting the source of sites, since also Opera, AOL & older IE versions don't show the sidebar anymore. - & since - like you told - you didn't change something in your template recently (I first noticed it about 2 weeks ago, but imagined it a momentary accident) - it can only be a change in the typepad generator that interpreted something in your design wrong.. - What I would try would be may call the technical help of typepad or try to remove little things of the right sidebar, watch it in IE, - if it didn't change, put it in again & remove the next part - watch it again in IE - until I find out what little thing (a link, a picture, a background, a text) may makes the sidebar vanish in IE.. - I hope this was not too technical & confusing & did help a bit - ask me back if something was too unintelligible

[Alison]

Heimo, it makes perfect sense. I will work on it soon. Thank you.

[Daisy]

Just checked in IE and you've fixed it, yes?

[bothenook]

i have the same problems with blogger. site looks fine in firefox (the only browser i use voluntarily). IE drops my sidebar to below the bottom of the last comment on the main section.
i've never had a problem with your site in firefox. i have had to wait for eons for allan's page to load, but never yours. pretty funny, because if i'm not mistaken, you both have the same setup.

[Aly]

This is a bit late....but I just noticed that Allan's site looks fine to me (sidebar on the SIDE), at the exact same time that yours is weird. Same time, same place, same computer, same IE. And of course, as I said, yours looked fine too as of last week. ????? Weird.

[Dan]

StatCounter based on 100 pageviews? *I* could refresh your page 100 times and wipe out all your "detailed" stats? What a joke. Take a look at W3Counter for 250 times more data at the same (free) cost.

[Sunybuny]

I use IE and probably won't switch because I just don't have the time or energy. Yea- suddenly everything is at the bottom but - having read you for so long - I know to go look fir it if I want to link.