Browser Recommendations

Browser Recommendations

Compatibility & Testing

It is critical for ESS developed applications to look and behave consistently for the widest audience possible.
To this end we are adopting an industry standard strategy of graded browser support to determine the level of
compatibility and testing performed by our developers.
Graded browser support consists of three grades – A, C, and X.
Along with graded support we also take into account the frequency of browsers being used to access our applications.
We do this through server log analysis.
Our findings show that over 96% of our visitors use a Grade A browser.
Grade A browsers are known, web standards capable, modern, and common.
These are the browsers that EAS will actively test in and ensure compatibility of our applications.

Grade A browsers:

  • Mozilla Firefox : Latest stable release (Mac, Windows, Linux)
  • Internet Explorer 8, 9, 10 (Windows)
  • Safari 5.x+ (Mac, Windows)
  • Chrome : Latest stable release

Grade C browsers are identified, incapable, antiquated and rare.
According to our logs, about 3% of our audience uses a grade C browser.
Typically, these browsers are older versions of grade A browsers and have at some point been tested.
Although the user experience will not be the same in grade C browsers as in grade A browsers, the content should be accessible and the application should function as intended.

We have recently down-graded Internet Explorer 6 and 7 to grade C status.
New web application development will not be actively supported in Internet Explorer 6 and 7.

Grade X browsers are generally unknown, assumed to be capable, modern, and rare or fringe.
Testing is not done and bugs are not opened against X grade browsers.

On occasion, grade X browser may be a newer version of a grade A browser, testing is done as in grade A browsers in anticipation of the browser’s transition from grade X to A.

Third-party Applications

Besides our in-house applications, EAS provides services through third-party vendors.
These applications are not developed by EAS and therefore have different standards and requirements.
Below you will find a list of third-party applications and the browser recommendations as specified by the vendor.

  • SEVIS – Internet Explorer 5.5+ with latest service packs for Windows.
  • Degree Navigator – Internet Explorer 5+, Firefox 2.0 and above
  • Procure to Pay (Administrative Systems) – Oracle E-Business Suite 11i is certified with Internet Explorer 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, Firefox 1.x, 1.5.x, 2.x, Safari 1.x, 2.x, and Netscape 4.7x where x is 3 or higher.
    For detailed support requirements information, please visit the Administrative Systems/PROCURE TO PAY 11.5.10 UPGRADE INFORMATION page.
    Performance of the HTML self service interface is substantially better with Internet Explorer 6.0 and 6.0 SP1 and SP2.
  • Financier – Internet Explorer 6 & 7.
  • eCheck – Internet Explorer 6 & 7. Firefox should work as well.

Page Markup Validation

All new web pages contained within an EAS application are validated with W3C’s Markup-Validation-Service.
In addition, the style sheets responsible for page layout and element formatting are validated with W3C’s CSS Validation Service.

JavaScript & Cookies

In order to function properly, some EAS applications require JavaScript and cookie support to be enabled in your browser.
Please google for instructions on enabling JavaScript and cookies in your particular browser.

Plugins

Users should install Adobe Reader which is required to view reports and application user guides.
Adobe Reader is a free software that lets you view and print Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) files on a variety of hardware and operating system platforms.