What is the difference between "All browser compatibility" and "Cross browser compatibility"?

Question

What is the difference between "All browser compatible" and "Cross browser compatible"?

What is the means "Cross" is it means different OS?

Can we say for any site that it is cross browser compatible, if it's working fine on Desktop version of IE 7, 8 FF 3+ , Safari 3+?

or cross browser means all latest and Ancient browser on all OS and devices?

Is "Cross browser" more wide then we think?

Edit 1:

Are "cross platform" and "cross devices" word included in word "Cross browser" ?

If i make sites compatible with Desktop version of IE 7, 8 FF 3+ , Safari 3+ opera 8+ , and use word cross browser, can anyone assume it will work on mobile browsers and other devices(ipad) also?

Should i clearly mention contract that i will give compatibility only on desktop browser version IE 7, 8 FF 3+ , Safari 3+ opera 8+ ?

Edit 2

I made a site for a client and "Your site will be cross browser compatible" was written in my contract. one day client opened site on his friend's iphone and bcoz of i hadn't tested and made site for small screen browser, he mailed me about "Why my site not looking fine on iPhone while you mentioned "Your site will be cross browser compatible".

now i will have to optimize his site for iphone without any extra charge :(.

and for future i want to change wordings in my contract mail.

Answer 1

Semantically, cross browser means more than one browse, and all browser means all browsers.

But in practice, most people take cross browser to mean all the major modern browsers.

Edit: Cross browsers have traditionally only been talking about desktop browsers, since the term was in use long before mobile took off, so it's acceptable to say an app is cross-browser even if it's not mobile compatible. This is what I feel people's expectations are right now. However I expect this to change in the next few years...

Are "cross platform" and "cross devices" word included in word "Cross browser" ?

The term is ambiguous, if this is a spec, then it should be as specific as possible. List the platforms, devices, and browsers you're targeting.

If i make sites compatible with Desktop version of IE 7, 8 FF 3+ , Safari 3+ opera 8+ , and use word cross browser, can anyone assume it will work on mobile browsers and other devices(ipad) also?

You know, your site probably does work on mobile devices. (Unless you use flash).

Should i clearly mention contract that i will give compatibility only on desktop browser version IE 7, 8 FF 3+ , Safari 3+ opera 8+ ?

Of course. In a contract it pays to be specific.

I made a site for a client and "Your site will be cross browser compatible" was written in my contract. one day client opened site on his friend's iphone and bcoz of i hadn't tested and made site for small screen browser, he mailed me about "Why my site not looking fine on iPhone while you mentioned "Your site will be cross browser compatible".

Disclaimer: Not a lawyer. If the site works on a webkit browser, it should work ok on the iPhone. What's the problem? If he wants an special mobile (small-screen) site that's not at all covered in the term 'cross browser'.

Answer 2

I think you have the right idea about Cross Browser Compatibility. In my opinion, this is the term coined for front-end development that comes from the back-end development term Cross Platform Compatibility.

I haven't heard or used All Browser Compatible. However, if someone gave this to me as a specification, I would build the site so it could be displayed in any browser. Given that would be a daunting task.

Just keep in mind that compatibility does necessarily mean the same. I think the industry has a growing acceptance that a browser doesn't have to look the same in IE7 as it does Firefox.

With all that said, I typically specify which browsers and platforms I expect the site or application to be compatible.