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Dan · Posted: Sun May 11, 2003 8:35 pm Post subject: mailto encode and Netscape (4.x)

I have a problem with mailto plugin.
Although it works fine with most of the browsers, I found that Netscape - 4.7 does not decode the mailto address, though it does decode the text_address
Is it some known bug? I really wanted my site cross-platform and this little bug destroys the whole idea

I used both, javascript and hex encoding.
Using javascript encoding breaks the site, because its not well outputted,
hex is just not working and not destroying anything

Thanks for help!

AZTEK · Posted: Sun May 11, 2003 9:24 pm Post subject:

First off Netscape 4.7 is so old it probably was released before the idea of encoding email addresses came about so there is probably no way it will work. Second anyone who still uses Netscape 4.7 or Netscape at all IMHO shouldn't be allowed to surf the web use Mozilla.
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"Imagine a school with children that can read and write, but with teachers who cannot, and you have a metaphor of the Information Age in which we live." -Peter Cochrane

boots · Posted: Sun May 11, 2003 11:37 pm Post subject:

Aztek, you're probably right, but then again, people DO surf the web using 4.7. Many LARGE corporations I've consulted at still have entire sections of their staff using 4.7--you know, the controlled upgrade issues at huge corps. Now lets say you are designing an intranet for them....

AZTEK · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 12:12 am Post subject:

I have had that problem as well then I set aside a weekend to upgrade them all and mozilla is almost exactly like Netscape so little retraining is needed.
_________________
"Imagine a school with children that can read and write, but with teachers who cannot, and you have a metaphor of the Information Age in which we live." -Peter Cochrane

Dan · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 12:23 am Post subject:

Imagine, that one of the corp. I was making a website for, forced me to test it with Netscape 4.5, because they were using it.
It was like few months ago and it was pretty big company. People do use Netscape 4.x. In most of the cases I would ignore it, but I can't force the client to switch to other browser, it's not that simple as you know.

boots · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 12:55 am Post subject:

Aztek! You know full well that that is no answer!! The client is always right--even when they are wrong, wrong, wrong.

Seriously, we lowly consultants can not dictate the tools of companies with 20,000+ seats (nor when there are many less seats) nor can we go in to their place of business on our "spare" time and change the environment of their users. Well, I can't anyways Smile

-- and I've run skunk-works projects at some of these places (like setting up LAMPs in otherwise all Microsoft environments--tee hee).

AZTEK · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 1:33 am Post subject:

I guess I have just had it good never working with a company with more then 500 workstations. Hire a few hands and get to working on a weekend. Be surprised with what you can do. Upgraded an entire company of 400 to Win2k and Office XP over 1 weekend.
_________________
"Imagine a school with children that can read and write, but with teachers who cannot, and you have a metaphor of the Information Age in which we live." -Peter Cochrane

AZTEK · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 1:35 am Post subject:

sweatje · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 1:46 am Post subject:

If it is an intranet app (as discussed earlier in the thread regarding why they are using antiquated browsers), you should not have to worry about spambots searching it, you should just be able to output a valid email address in text without encoding.
_________________
Jason
jsweat_php AT yahoo DOT com

Dan · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 8:39 am Post subject:

I just gave you an example, that big companies still might be using pretty old browsers like Netscape 4.5 even.
Sure thing, that I would not worry If the project would have been an intranet one....
Seems, that no encoding must be used in case of the service being cross-platform, pity..

sweatje · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 11:13 am Post subject:

There are a host of other problems coding pages for browsers that old. You might try directing them to The Web Standards Project for an independant option.

HTH
_________________
Jason
jsweat_php AT yahoo DOT com

AZTEK · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 11:38 am Post subject:

True that page tells them what I would say personally your browser is to old to view new pages on the internet and is falling behind in features. Then I would offer Mozilla as the cheapest (because its free unlike how netscape used to be) and easiest to switch to alternative. After that they can get all the second opinions they want, but I know no sensible web developer out there who wil tell you to take Netscape 4.7 over Mozilla.
_________________
"Imagine a school with children that can read and write, but with teachers who cannot, and you have a metaphor of the Information Age in which we live." -Peter Cochrane

boots · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 2:20 pm Post subject:

Galois · Smarty Rookie Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 16

All preaching and browser snobbery aside, Is there an actual answer to this problem?

AZTEK · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 2:33 am Post subject:

The only answer is to use another encoding since netscape just wont work for it.
_________________
"Imagine a school with children that can read and write, but with teachers who cannot, and you have a metaphor of the Information Age in which we live." -Peter Cochrane