Government Web Standards
Revised:18.1 Minimum web browsers and their respective versions for sites to work in
The Standard
18.1 Any web site that is under ownership of the agency that is
- a new web site, or
- an existing web site, where the overall "look and feel" or functionality has been modified
must work satisfactorily in a minimum list of web browser types and respective versions prior to being released as a production web site.
The minimum list of web browser types and their corresponding version(s) combinations is derived from those that make up 1% or more of the total web browser types/versions that have been used by users accessing the homepage of the 'Main' agency web site of the agency over a specific 12 month period.
Notes:
- 'Main' agency web site and 'homepage' are defined in the Glossary of Key Concepts.
- "works satisfactorily" is defined in the context of these standards and recommendations in the Glossary of Key Concepts.
- Access Keys as stated in standard 8.4 - Navigation Access keys are exempt from testing for Firefox 2.x.
- The data for providing the total web browser types/versions/operating system platform combinations that have been used by users accessing the homepage of the 'Main' agency web site of the agency are obtainable from the web server(s) that the agency uses to host this homepage.
- Agencies that do not have sufficient usage statistics to determine a minimum list for testing (strictly due to having no existing web site(s) that have been in production for longer than 12 months), can utilise the list of common browsers, versions and operating systems as stated in the associated guide to this standard.
Guide to this standard
The definition of 'homepage' for NZ government agency web sites is in the Glossary of Key Concepts.
The definition of 'Main' agency web site for NZ government agency web sites is in the Glossary of Key Concepts.
The list of web browser types and respective versions is considered the minimal list for testing/quality assurance purposes.
If and when an audit is to be undertaken on one or more web sites under ownership of the agency, the agency will be asked to provide the list of browser, version and operating system combinations they have used for their testing, and the 6 month period used to determine this list.
Associated Recommendation
18.1.1 - Operating Systems and Device types for sites to work, which specifies specific operating systems recommended to test the browser/version list under.
A list of common browser, version and operating system combinations is as follows:
Minimum
The list of browser/version combinations to make web sites accessible to about 96% of Internet users.
- Internet Explorer 7.x (Windows)
- Internet Explorer 6.x (Windows)
- Mozilla Firefox 1.5.x (Windows, Linux)
- Mozilla Firefox 2.x (Windows, Linux)
- Safari 1.2 (Mac)
Extensive
Add the following to the Minimal list, to extend accessibility to around 98% of Internet users. Due to varying levels of HTML/CSS compliance, the visual experience will differ slightly on some browsers.
- Internet Explorer 5.x (Windows, Mac)
- Mozilla Firefox 1.0.x
- Netscape 7.0+ (Windows)
- Opera 8.x
- Konqueror 3.x (Linux)
Comprehensive
Add the following to the Minimal and Extensive lists, to extend accessibility to all recent and legacy graphical browsers and non-graphical browsers. Due to low levels of HTML/CSS compliance, the visual experience will be poor, often losing style and formatting or without any formatting at all.
- Internet Explorer 4.0 (Windows)
- Netscape Navigator 4.0+ (Windows)
- Opera 7.x
- Lynx (Windows, Linux)
Rationale for this standard
One of the principal foundations of the purpose for the New Zealand Web Standards is to provide economical and equitable access to information. This applies to all information the NZ government wishes to make available to the public. Correspondingly, it is important to minimise any reasons for excluding information from being accessible to all members of the public, as much as feasibly possible. This includes minimising the barriers to accessing information or to completing a transaction on a NZ government agency web site, caused by issues related to the browser and/or browser version a user chooses to have.
