Usability Forum

housingmaps.com- Ideal handling of browser checking

By Eddie. Thursday, 29. September 2005, 16:13:39

usability, opera, maps, house hunting, home, google, craigslist, web, websites, browsers, AJAX

UPDATE: it appears this site works fine with Opera now, and lets you right in the front door!

A great service mixing google maps with craigslist: http://www.housingmaps.com/

But what I wanted to point out is the homepage. At least- the homepage that saw. There is a browser warming page that I got because I use Opera. The creator handles it pretty well I thought. In a nutshell (meaning- these are my own words), I got a

Hey- we've tested with all these browsers here: <lists them>.

Your's is different. Here's how to get one we've tested with...<link>

But if you still want to try it out- here's a link in. We can't promise anything though.

It's that last part that I really thought stood out... the "you've been warned, but if you want to try anyway..." type of link that is all too absent from websites. Mostly when I use Opera- I get "this browser is insecure- use IE instead" and I'm not permitted to go any further (without changing agent ID or spoofing of some sort). I understand that site creators don't want or need to test with every single version of every single browser on every single version of every single OS- but I'd be fine with telling me what you do test with and giving me a clear warning that you don't promise success with the tools I'm using- but still give me the choice. Often (no mostly.... no...almost always) I can get the job done just fine with Opera. Kudos to this site for letting me try.

Here's what I sent the creator:

...thank you for at least putting the option to let me try your service in Opera. I get REALLY mad when sites don't let me take the chance... Sometimes, there is a limitation with Opera (not full AJAX support)- but most often its simply because sites don't want to think about anything other than IE, and one or both Netscape/FireFox.

I understand that nobody wants to test in 100 browsers that less than 1% of people use. But at least let me have the option to try your site with my browser. You do a fine job of that- your main page is exactly what sites should do.

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Comments

Anonymous # 18. April 2006, 21:45

abe hoffman writes:

While HousingMaps integrates homes for sale and rent on craigslist with google maps, www.HomePriceMaps.com integrates how much homes have SOLD for in your area with the google mapping technology (aka . If you don't see data for your area simply email HomePriceMaps@gmail.com with your zipcode and or address and the site will run an update with information for your area and email you within a few days once the update is complete.

Anonymous # 24. September 2007, 17:35

Jimmy Jackson writes:

There's another site that does this type of thing:

http://www.jolocate.com/Listings.aspx

I like it better

Anonymous # 17. September 2009, 18:32

Anonymous writes:

housiingmaps.com is cool but there are others out there that are better http://www.padmapper.ca and http://www.urbanrenters.ca both has map housing function, plus providing more filters and options.