When you access a website, the browser - let's say Internet Explorer - renders the page onto your screen. It follows a set of rules that affect how exactly the page is displayed. Since there are many different browsers - Internet Explorer, Firefox, the Mac people have Safari - it is important that they all follow these rules, so that a website will look the same everywhere.
Unfortunately, the reality looks a little bit different. For various reasons, many browsers break or twist some or many of these rules. The result is, that web developers have to fight with these inconsistencies to make a website look the same everywhere - often by having to create a different version for each major browser in use.
This website will let you take your browser for a spin to see how well it follows these rules, also referred to as web standards. Click below on 'Take The Test' to see the results of a test called Acid2, which has been designed by the Web Standards Project. If your browser follows web standards, your test result on the left should look like the reference rendering on the right.
Disappointed by the results? If so, consider trying out a browser that follows web standards more closely - like Firefox 3. It will make another persons job that much easier. Thank you!
Do you have a website? Please help to raise awareness for web standards and consider adding one of the provided buttons to your website or even feature a badge - like the one in the upper right corner - for a little while.