Question:
As a Web designer, one of my biggest struggles is JavaScript compatibility with previous browser versions (such as IE3, IE4, N2, N3, and N4). Is there a way I can test and debug my code under all these platforms and assure their correctness.
I thought of installing all these browser versions. It worked for Netscape, but I don’t know how to install IE3 and IE4 side by side. What is your take on this issue?
Answer:
As you point out, it is possible to install different versions of Netscape Navigator on the same machine with no real problems. For testing purposes I have Navigator versions 1.22, 2.02, 3.04, 4.05, and 4.5 Preview installed on my primary development machine. Unfortunately, there is no way to install both Internet Explorer 3.0 and 4.0 on the same machine at the same time. To solve this issue, I keep an old 486 running Windows 95 and IE3 around just for testing purposes. Alternatively, you can create a separate hard disk partition on your primary machine and install a separate version of Windows there. You will then be able to install a different version of IE in this new partition. Unfortunately, neither of these solutions is a good one, however, and with IE5 just around the bend more hassles are on the way.
