Crossbrowser Testing Without Paying To Upload Website? Complete Novice Web Design Question.

[nellypope]

After months of tears, blood and sweat I have nearly tamed Dreamweaver and completed a website, (it's been an emotional journey). However although the website has been previewed through Firefox and Safari whilst being constructed, it has not been thoroughly tested through older versions of these browers or indeed Internet Explorer at all!! How can I test this website without the expense of actually going live through a web host service? I am quite concerned that I will end up with elements, images and links floating about like farts in a breeze when I embark on this process.

[AB Editor]

How did you test the other browsers?

Download the browser you want to test, open the html file, see how it looks!

" I am quite concerned that I will end up with elements, images and links floating about like farts in a breeze when I embark on this process. I am quite concerned that I will end up with elements, images and links floating about like farts in a breeze when I embark on this process."

You will. A cutoff point of IE8 is useful because almost everyone agrees IE7 is a pig.

[nellypope]

Thanks Ed :-)
Im using a Mac any ideas on how to test IE? Im not sure you can download it for Macs?

[nellypope]

Just come across this:
http://www.davidalison.com/2008/05/how-to-let-safari-pretend-its-ie.html

how reliable is this for cross browser testing?

[WyeDyed]

I use WAMP as a local server and have set up a test site with this host: http://www.2freehosting.com/
Sorry I can't offer any Mac specific help. Ab Editor is correct about IE, only bother with 8 and newer.
If only one browser misbehaves, it's nearly always IE.

[AB Editor]

"If only one browser misbehaves, it's nearly always IE."

Depends how it is coded to be honest.

"Im using a Mac any ideas on how to test IE? Im not sure you can download it for Macs?"

Phone a friend?