Knowing which browsers are used by most users will help you know which browser-specific features to enhance. For example, some browsers will show a site designed with frames in a different way from the others. Some newer features, such as DHTML filters, are not supported on the Mac platform or on Windows CE (the handheld PC version).

Although it is most likely that the majority of your visitors will be using a recent version of Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, knowing which versions of these products are prevalent will tell you whether certain advanced HTML features will be understood (or how they will be understood) by the browser in question.

Another useful feature in this reporting area will tell you which robots (also known as "spiders" or "crawlers") are hitting your site. Generally these automated vistors are used by search sites to register your site for their directories. Other kinds of robots, often called "harvesters," will search your site for e-mail addresses. These harvesters can be the reason why your company e-mail addresses may begin receiving spam — unsolicited e-mails from unknown advertisers.

Sometimes this area of reporting will also identify the platforms that are most common among visitors to your site. In addition, it can help you design a site that is most compatible with the hardware and software your customers are mostly likely to be using to view it.

For samples of this type of report, view Maximized.com's Flashstats, awsd.com's WebLog, or WebTrends.com under the category Browsers and Platforms.

How to Use This Information

Ideally, a well-designed site will look good on all browsers, on all platforms; but usually along the way some compromise has to be made. Maximize the effectiveness of your interface and the code that supports it by sharing the statistics about browser type and version with your company's Webmasters, programmers, and designers.

Decide Whether or Not to Use Technical Features

Aim for the best-designed site that will look and work best for the majority of your users. If most of your visitors aren't using browsers that will do justice to your state-of-the-art Javascript code, or if the code doesn't show up at all, maybe that's not the best use of your programming time.

About the Author:
The WorkZ staff is made up of gurus in many areas of expertise including Sales, Marketing, all aspects of the Internet, Technology, even starting and running businesses.

Click here for more info from this author...