Untraining to Opera
Monday, October 29th, 2007
As a web developer I use a number of web browsers to achieve my goals - cross browser testing being the obvious reason. Also, different browsers supply tools which assist in my development process. But what’s the rationale behind the browser I use when my sole purpose is to do a quick Google or check my email?
First point - browsers need to sell to me. Change rarely just happens. I have a Firefox desktop and Firefox is set as my default browser and yet, regardless of this conscious selection, every time I open a browser window my mouse goes directly to that large blue e for Internet Explorer. Why would that be so? Marketing perhaps - but I’d suggest its plain old habit. One thing that gets overlooked from the general web user perspective in the browser stakes is the reason to move on. Akin to the killer application paradigm - why would I move on from Internet Explorer?
Speed? Yes but that’s an experience after I open the browser. Standards support? Yes if my conscious mind were active in that instant my mouse runs for the blue e perhaps. But really, as a basic web surfing tool, Internet Explorer works. And while it works it usually takes a crisis, a reason, for many users to move elsewhere.
In the same vein that I trained myself to become a left handed mouse user I’m making the conscious effort to untrain my Internet Explorer habit. I’m untraining to Opera which does offer me speed and which I find more than enough. I think developers forget that most users, even other developers, just want to get on the Internet and do what we need to do.
