Tackling the multi-browser problem

[dawks]

This is a question for my fellow sys-admins. I'm curious to know what you guys are doing about the multi-browser support challenge at your organization. Where I work, the problem is essentially out of control. We have staff who basically keep a list of what browser to use to access a particular service. Chrome for this, IE for that, Firefox for the next thing. One service requires Chrome for editing, but views better in IE. One user requires IE 10, while another needs IE 8, and yet another needs IE11..

Is there any solution to simplify things?

 

[ninaholic37]

Is there any solution to simplify things?

Yes, but it involves time traveling back to the early 90s during BBS era.

 

[sbpromania]

Find the browser that works fulfills all the requirements, in a way or other.

For example, instead of IE, you have IE tab add-on, for both Chrome and Firefox.

 

[lxskllr]

Find the browser that works fulfills all the requirements, in a way or other.

For example, instead of IE, you have IE tab add-on, for both Chrome and Firefox.

Alternately, change the the accessed programs to ones that are standards compliant.

 

[mikeymikec]

This is a question for my fellow sys-admins. I'm curious to know what you guys are doing about the multi-browser support challenge at your organization. Where I work, the problem is essentially out of control. We have staff who basically keep a list of what browser to use to access a particular service. Chrome for this, IE for that, Firefox for the next thing. One service requires Chrome for editing, but views better in IE. One user requires IE 10, while another needs IE 8, and yet another needs IE11..

Is there any solution to simplify things?

Are you talking about access to internal services (e.g. dynamic websites that your own guys are responsible for) or external ones?

 

[cabri]

Alternately, change the the accessed programs to ones that are standards compliant.

While it may sound correct; may large organizations have applications that have been built around IE8 (etc) that will not work with IE10.

It is very expensive to retrofit such applications and when those are used in house; the issue of have an older browser is not considered to be a security issues.

I have worked for a place that provided Chrome and/or FF for internet access and used IE8 for admin needs

 

[takeru]

at my current workplace, we have a lot of internal/external sites with varying browser edition requirements. we have internet explorer 11 rolled out agency wide. have you tried using enterprise mode in IE? you can set it to load specific browser edition compatibility modes on a managed site list.

 

[Ketchup]

What OS are your people running?

Here is my .02:

Generally speaking, IE 10 is the way to go. I saw that just due to the some issues I have heard that people run into with 11. Now, if computers running 8.1 or 10, things get a little more complicated. At one time I had issues running some pages on 11, but it looks like a lot of that has been sorted out (most pages run fine on FF, so there are only a couple I use IE for). That is when you want to set up the newer ones with Compatibility View.

But generally, you want to have internal sites set up to work decently with one browser. Sure, you can suggest other browsers for a slightly better experience, but a variety of browsers should not be required for pages that your organization has control over. As far as sites outside your organization, there isn't much you can do, but most do use "running on IE" as a policy.

 

[Oyeve]

As the sys admin I block all but chrome. I only allow IE on the accountants systems as the bank are so far behind the tech times, their SW only works on IE. All USB ports are disabled so no on can run chrome. The few who do get shit canned instantly.