MSDN Magazine - June 2008 - (Page 11)

SCOTT MiTChell Toolbox Cross Browser Testing, Mock Objects, And Raymond Chen Better Browser Compatibility Testing When Web developers sleep at night they dream that all Web browsers follow HTML standards to the letter. They imagine a world where every Web surfer has the same monitor resolution, color depth, and font size. Unfortunately, reality could not be more different. During waking hours, Web developers must design their Web applications to function properly in a seemingly infinite number of configurations. Creating a thorough Web testing environment can be tedious and time consuming, requiring installation of several different browsers, versions, and operating systems. Remote Web-based testing environments take this burden off the developer. One such service is Browsershots. After specifying a URL, Browsershots takes and displays screenshots using the selected browser, version, and operating system combinations. There are 53 different combinations available, plus you can specify client settings such as screen size, color depth, and JavaScript support. The Browsershots service is free, but there can be wait times ranging from less than a minute to half an hour or more, depending on the number of requests being processed. For $15 per month, you can sign up for priority processing, which shuttles your requests to the front of the queue. While screenshots are useful for seeing how a Web site looks in a specific browser, it does not reveal how the site behaves as the user interacts with it. To perform this type of testing, use BrowserCam. BrowserCam offers screenshots like Browsershots, but also includes remote access to a variety of operating systems and browsers. This allows Microsoft.com in Browsershots you to log into a machine, configure its settings, and interact with your Web site. Price: Browsershots (free); BrowserCam ($89.95/month for Premium). browsershots.org browsercam.com the registry is called a “hive?” Raymond Chen knows. Raymond joined Microsoft in 1992 as a software engineer for Windows 95, and he’s a virtual repository of historical Windows information. In his blog, The Old New Thing, he answers these questions and tackles lots of other Windows legacies. Raymond was there when many of the Windows design decisions were made, so he has first-hand knowledge of the thinking behind them. His insider knowledge and dry wit make Raymond’s blog an entertaining and educational read. Oh, and by the way: the Windows registry is called a “hive” because one of Blogs of Note Have you ever wondered why it is that you have to click the Start button to shut down your computer? Or how about why the Windows operating system debugger is called “Dr. Watson?” Do you know what computer game’s inoperability issues threatened to delay the Windows XP SP2 beta release? And does anybody know why ® Send your questions and comments for Scott to toolsmm@microsoft.com. All prices confirmed at press time and are subject to change. The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Microsoft. June 2008 11 http://Microsoft.com http://browsershots.org http://browsercam.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of MSDN Magazine - June 2008

MSDN Magazine - June 2008 Contents Toolbox CLR Inside Out Cutting Edge Patterns In Practice SAAS Concurrency Robotics Form Filler GUI Library Service Station Foundations Windows With C++ Concurrent Affairs Going Places { End Bracket }

MSDN Magazine - June 2008

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