Internet Diversity

[longen]

This Nielsen PDF report suggests that 3 out of 4 users connect to the Internet using non-browser bases apps. Seems a bit high, everyone i know uses IE. However i think it does point to the need for Standards based web-sites in the future, there will be too many access devices/methods to code for them all.
I've been converting to xhtml recently, only another 1,500 pages to go.

[nielsen-netratings.com...]

[sonjay]

Well, you gotta read the report. Nielsen isn't talking about people using PDAs and cell phones; he's talking about people using instant messenger and media players (no doubt in addition to their browser).

By the definition he's using, nearly 100% of people "connect to the internet" using non-browser based applications, if you count e-mail, and by his definition there's no reason not to count e-mail.

If you want to talk about standards-based Web site creation for people using PDAs, we might do well to have some stats on how many people are using PDAs for Web site browsing, and what types of sites they want to access using their PDA. But I can't say I'm particularly worried about making sites that I work on accessible to AOL Instant Messenger.

[killroy]

Case in point though... Recently I was playign around with a firends GPRS based mobile, and incidentally, my host let's me access my email via a web interface (which I never use). So I went there via Googles WAP translator... lo and behold, the email interface uses frames (unnecessarily) preventing me from using it.

It is a very simple email interface, and if it would not use frames I could read and reply to email using most standard mobiles.

What I'm tryign to say is that most of the services REALLY interesting to mobile users (i.e. NOT major multimedial websites) could be made accessible with a few simple measures.

And I think that is what Nielsen is trying to preach.

SN

[Brett_Tabke]

Consider the source:

> Nielsen

They simply don't have the tech in place to register data in the accurate fashion we are accustomed to. eg: Nielsen Statistics = LOL.

[hartlandcat]

I've just been having a look through some of the other articles on Neilsen -- one of them suggests that Microsoft Outlook revolutionised email on it's own. Heh.