| Client configuration component | Considerations |
| Browser software | A number of different browsers can be used, including Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. Most have different capabilitiesor slightly different ways of representing things. |
| Browser version | In most cases, people tend to upgrade to the latest or latest but one version of browser software, but there can still be a huge variety of versions and subversions in use, each with different capabilities. |
| Browser settings | Most browsers are configurable with options to turn features on or off, such as content control, security factors, accepting cookies, andso on. These settings could change the way the browser behaves when it encounters certain features. |
| Supplementary software | Browser aids, guides, plug-ins, add-ons, view bars, caching tools, and several other software elements could provide additional featuresor reduce the availability of others. |
| Proxy and firewall software | Proxy and firewall software can also influence what can and can't be represented on the client side. |
| Computer configuration | Different memory sizes and processor speeds will affect the performance of the client hardware and can prevent or restrict some of theclient experiences. Some hardware, such as sound cards and 3D accelerators can provide additional capabilities. Absence of these devicescould reduce performance or prevent actions from taking place. |
| Resolution and gamma settings | Macs and PCs, and even different monitor and video card makes, can have very different gamma settings and capabilities. This could makepictures appear very different from what was intended. Clients can configure their screens with different resolutions that affect how muchcan be displayed on the screen at once and how easy the site is to use. See more in the later lesson on Web site design. |
| Display devices | Handheld devices and telephones may impose restrictions on graphics, such as colors or even whether the graphics can be displayed.Televisions are usually viewed from a greater distance than PCs and so higher detail and smaller fonts may not be visible. |
| Navigation device | Most PC or Mac users will have a mouse to browse with. Those on handheld devices or televisions may find navigation difficult without amouse. |
| Connection speed | The type of connection such as telephone, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), leasedline, and so on will affect how fast or slow a client can access the application. |
| Censorship | Clients may be under some censorship restrictions imposed on their configuration by an ISP, company, or government as to what materialthey can access. |
| Location | You should also consider the needs of international clients. Considerations associated with internationalization, globalization andlanguage will be discussed later in this course. |
