Website content showing differently on different computers... ???

[sk3pt1c]

i've started co-operating with a design place that prints cards and so on to do the coding for the websites they design for their clients.
so they came to me with a design for a site and this is the result
www.coachingmylife.gr
i've tested it on Safari 4, Firefox 3.0.11, Camino 1.6.7 and Opera 9.6.4 on my Mac and on Safari 4, Firefox 3.0.11 and Internet Explorer 8.0.6 on a PC laptop i have and it looks fine...
i have a div to center the whole thing, a div that contains just the shadow around the site and then a div as a container for the actual site...

the problem is the client has complained that the site is all the way to the right on his and a few friends' computers... and that he has to scroll right to see it...
i thought he might have an old browser with poor CSS support but he says he runs Vista, which means he has a new version of IE...

which leaves me totally mindblown...
perhaps his browser doesn't allow scripts or flash or the mp3 and it messes up the design? i have no idea...

help?

 

[Consultant]

Even with Firefox market share approaching 50%,
IE 6+7+8 = 40% of market (and declining).

So at this time, you also gotta test with different versions of that security hole of a browser.

 

[whatsgooddan]

I had the same problem with a site I was designing. It looked fine in Webkit and Mozilla, but no IE. In IE, the proportions were messed up.

If you take your time to learn what each CSS attribute does, as well as the limitations of each attribute, you may find that you can identify the problem. Although tedious, I'd recommend starting from scratch with CSS. Keep it as simple and easy to read as possible, especially while you are still coding it. Also, use comments.

If you use Safari, make sure you enable the Develop menu. The web inspector can highlight each CSS element for you and could probably give you a better idea as to what is what. There are also third party programs that can help such as Coda or CSSEdit, but I'd recommend a basic text editor. Textmate is my choice.

For no real reason, I chose to make my HTML Strict XHTML. So far, I have had excellent cross-browser compatibility.

 

[jaikob]

I had the same problem with a site I was designing. It looked fine in Webkit and Mozilla, but no IE. In IE, the proportions were messed up.

If you take your time to learn what each CSS attribute does, as well as the limitations of each attribute, you may find that you can identify the problem. Although tedious, I'd recommend starting from scratch with CSS. Keep it as simple and easy to read as possible, especially while you are still coding it. Also, use comments.

If you use Safari, make sure you enable the Develop menu. The web inspector can highlight each CSS element for you and could probably give you a better idea as to what is what. There are also third party programs that can help such as Coda or CSSEdit, but I'd recommend a basic text editor. Textmate is my choice.

For no real reason, I chose to make my HTML Strict XHTML. So far, I have had excellent cross-browser compatibility.

Strict is the way to go

 

[sk3pt1c]

i get both your points, guys and thanks.
i am well aware of CSS attributes and their limitations...
they thing with this is that the problem appears on a Vista machine,
which by default should have an IE version that renders CSS properly..
which is why i am baffled as to why the site does not appear properly on his computer...
i'm putting my money on IE blocking something, although i'm dumbfounded as to what...
also, i do my website work on Dreamweaver, feels kinda "solid" to me...
at the end of the day, i may have to go see it for myself to realise exactly what's going on...

 

[whatsgooddan]

I opened up your site in IE (Vista SP2) and it looked fine..

 

[sk3pt1c]

do any of you think that there is some content-blocking going on that cause problems in that guys PC ?
cause other than that, i can't figure it out...
thanks whatsgooddan!

 

[angelwatt]

Could be something getting blocked. My work place blocks a bit and sometimes if the CSS files are hosted on a blocked domain I see a very plain looking site. See if you can get the guy to send a screen shot along with the specific version of his browser and ask if he has any plugins installed as well.

 

[sk3pt1c]

yeah, will do tomorrow morning first thing, it's basically him and a couple of his friends, so i'm guessing plugins or something being blocked...

 

[slope]

I took a look at the site and it is a Browser issue. IE 6 & 7 both show the issue. Your Master Container Div is centered, but your container is right justified and seems to start in the center of the Master Container. I work in CMS development and have seen things like this before, although it is usually just in 6 not 7 as well.

If you remove your DIV align = center... you resolve your alignment issue in 6 and 7, but of course then your site is not centered in the Browser.

I would start there... but these are the joys of the "New" Browser wars.

 

[sk3pt1c]

i've removed it and added a margin: 0 auto; to my master container

please have a look and let me know if it's ok

so far only Safari on the mac seems to not center it but i can live with that,
most mac users never maximise their windows, right? i don't...
either way, the market share especially in greece is too low, we gotta please the IE users...

 

[ddoonie]

Just try browsershots.org, test your site on numerous browsers at once

 

[dmmcintyre3]

i've removed it and added a margin: 0 auto; to my master container

please have a look and let me know if it's ok

so far only Safari on the mac seems to not center it but i can live with that,
most mac users never maximise their windows, right? i don't...
either way, the market share especially in greece is too low, we gotta please the IE users...

I have mine full screen on my 1280 wide screen