Government catches on to cross-browser compatability

The Department for Work & Pensions is planning to make its Web sites compatible with as many browsers as possible, including the open-source browser Firefox.

More companies, including software company Autodesk, are striving for Firefox compatibility, though significant gaps remain.

Carl Mawson, the head of e-communications at the Department for Work & Pensions, said: “We are very much aware of the widening range of browsers used by our customers, such as Firefox and Opera”.

“We aim to address this, so that our Web sites work in as many browsers, and on as many platforms as possible.”

While the Jobcentre Plus Web site itself works with non-IE browsers, the job search feature on the site does not work in the Firefox browser, because the lists of job groups, types and titles are not populated when the search page is opened. The organisation plans to fix this feature in the second half of this year.

Other companies are also planning to add Firefox support. Autodesk is working on Firefox support for MapGuide, a product that allows companies to distribute GIS (geographic information system) applications on the Web, although it is uncertain whether the company plans to add Firefox support to other products.

Organisations that have recently updated their Web sites to be compatible with Firefox include Powerhouse, an electrical retailer based in Oxfordshire, and English Heritage,

Firefox’s market share has significantly increased over the last year. According to Web analytics company OneStat.com, the open-source browser has increased from 2.1 per cent in May 2004 to 8.7 per cent in April 2005.