Some Web sites ‘hostile’ to Mac users

Columnist Jim Heid, a contributing editor of Macworld magazine , has an interesting piece in the Los Angeles Times about Web sites that aren’t Mac friendly, such as Electronic Arts and Sony.

“Make no mistake — the vast majority of Web sites work equally well on Macs and Windows,” Heid said. “Indeed, as an Internet platform, the Mac has some big advantages over Windows, starting with the best browser, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 5. Apple’s Mac-only iTools services also are outstanding, and the computer virus threat is much smaller on Macs.”

So why are a few Web sites unfriendly to Mac users? In some cases, it’s sloppy Web design, writes Heid. He notes that Sony’s sites use Windows-style directory slashes in their hyperlinks. Other sites use Windows-only technologies. For instance, Yahoo’s FinanceVision relies on the Windows Media browser plug-in, which lacks a Mac equivalent, Heid points out, that Yahoo recently launched a beta version of FinanceVision that uses RealNetworks’ RealPlayer plug-in.

“The Java and JavaScript programming languages also are common culprits,” he said. “Web sites use Java to provide everything from online games to news tickers to navigation menus. Java on the Mac has long been a mixed bag, though it has improved and it promises to be much better with Mac OS X. JavaScript is commonly used for navigation schemes and ‘rollover’ effects, in which buttons highlight when you point to them. JavaScript has a checkered past on the Mac, thanks largely to Microsoft, which implemented it poorly in Internet Explorer versions before 5.0. And even Internet Explorer 5 has JavaScript limitations that cause problems with some multimedia-intensive sites.”

Heid notes that he would like to see Apple do more to ensure that Mac users don’t get left out by “pressuring high-profile companies such as Yahoo and Sony to clean up their acts and by assisting them if necessary.”

“In the meantime, fighting digital discrimination is up to you,” he said. “If you encounter sites that work poorly or not at all on Macs, e-mail their operators and tell them you’re taking your eyeballs and your money elsewhere. And if you’re prowling for sites where Macs are welcome, consider a stop at Apple’s iReview directory. Each of its more than 700 Web site reviews has a gauge that rates the site’s Mac-friendliness.”