Orangeinks

Test Websites on Differrent Browsers and Operating Systems using CrossBrowserTesting

CrossBrowserTesting is a unique and useful tool to test websites on different browsers running on a variation of operating systems. The service will allow you to properly view websites without going to the process of dual booting or finding computers that runs on different operating systems and installing different browsers just to see what your website looks like on a specific setup or configuration.

What is great about CrossBrowserTesting is that it will allow anyone to do the tests for free. Five minutes per session free services is available for anyone who wants to do a test. This will allow enough time to open a browser and open a website, login (if needed) and make a few clicks. Anyone who wants a longer session will have to buy credits to get an uninterrupted stream. Paid users are always given priority and the free users will have to wait in line if a server is full. Streaming speed will vary depending on your connection and other factors. In my testing, I experienced some lag which ate a chunk of the 5 minutes free time given to me but did not encounter any disconnection from the stream.

I did get an email from the team who are kind enough to answer a few questions regarding the improvements in the service.

I would think we should be on par with any other service (there are very few) that offer this kind of remote capability and running VNC through a Java applet is going to be somewhat sluggish no matter who you are. Still, we are working to speed things up as best we can and hope to offer the ability to use a client to connect to our service and that would improve performance significantly. However that is months away from seeing daylight.

CrossBrowserTesting currently supports different Microsoft Windows OS (98, XP, Vista) and Ubuntu Linux. The list of browsers includes Firefox, Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera and Safari. Regarding the Mac OS-X:

As for the Mac OS, that is a completely different implementation due to their licensing and hardware. However, we are currently working on adding it to our list of configurations, hopefully within the next month (possibly sooner if we get lucky). It is currently our top priority.

To use the service, just register for an account and you can select from the list of operating system and configuration you want to perform the testing. When the stream starts, you can choose the browser available in the desktop and begin the testing. Full administrative access on the operating system is given to any user doing the test. You can load whatever client application you need to test and after each session, the virtual instance goes away and so does any trace of your work upon disconnection. You can also take a snapshot of the website which utilizes Flickr for the storage of the snapshots from your testing sessions. .

You can mark your snapshots as public or private. Snapshots marked public will be shown to visitors at CrossBrowserTesting.com, showcasing your work. A link to your Flickr profile will also be included when your work is shown, giving you credit and recognition for your work. You can also choose to keep your snapshots private. This is useful for people working on projects which are not public yet.

Whether you are a webmaster/developer, website owner or blogger, CrossBrowserTesting is a valuable tool for checking out if a website runs well on different browsers on different operating systems and settings.

Tags: browser, explorer, Firefox, internet, java, mac os, mac os-x, microsoft windows, straming, test, ubuntu, Windows XP

Distraction Free Writing Tools

There are always simple tools for simple needs which will give you nothing more and nothing less. The tools that I am going to mention both functions the same way but has some differences.

The Write Room is a Mac OSX application and developed by Hog Bay Software that offers a distraction free writing experience. It is a simple writing tool and nothing more. It is not a full function word processor so don’t expect tabs and tables in the application. Write Room features Full-screen, Document based auto-saved, Distraction free features: which hides the menubar and wordcount, Retro Cursors and Standalone or Edit-in feature which will compliment another program if it is compatible.  You can download a free fifteen (15) day trial in their website or get the full version for twenty five ($25) dollars.

Dark Copy is an online Write Room clone which is not limited to a Mac OS-X operating system. All you need is a browser and you can enjoy a distraction free writing experience. No need to download and the service is free.

DarkCopy is for anyone who enjoys the simplicity of a typewriter, and wants to increase productivity by focusing only on writing. It was created as a free, web-based clone of WriteRoom.

The difference between the two apps is of course the price tag and some key features in the free version. There are key features in WriteRoom which is not available in DarkCopy. The auto save feature is I think most essential in any digital writing application. But who am I to argue with a free web application which serves its purpose of creating a different writing experience in this cluttered digital age. Just hit the save button once in a while to prevent data loss (or is it going to be another distraction?).

Tags: dark copy, mac os, mac os-x, web application, write room