Deploying a networked browser compatibility testing system.

Question

I need to provide our web developers an easy and quick way to test their code on multiple browsers. Here's my current plan:

1. Get a Mac
2. Install Windows XP and Linux over VMWare
3. Install all possible major browsers on these OSes, including on the Mac and the god-forsaken IE6.

This will allow developers to use the system to test their applications.

But is it possible to give them some sort of desktop sharing tool, so they can test remotely... keeping in mind that the their systems can be windows, linux(linus?) or macs.

Or am I doing it all wrong?

Answer 1

There a web service that already does this Browser Shots. You can also install the software on your own systems if you want to host your own.

Answer 2

There are a few viable options I have used:

1. Get hardware. If you develop on Macs and have an old Windows box laying around, you might as well use it. You then need to figure out how you are going to connect to it. I have used:

   (a) remote control tool (like VNC) to a shared box. At one company we had a IE6 testing box we all VNCed into

   (b) Synergy on my desktop (which allows sharing keyboard and mouse)

   (c) Walking

2. VMs. Some developers like this because they have everything on one box, and can take it with them. You'll probably need multiple VMs for different versions of Windows. I've done this with both Parallels and VMWare.

3. External service. @chotchki mentioned one, but there are many others.

My current favorite is 1b, but they are all workable.

To answer your question: VMs are a reasonable solution.