(continued from previous page)

Now that what goes where is painfully clear, and you know what to put on the various versions, how do you set them up? There are two ways you can direct users to the appropriate version of your site. The simplest is to create a link to the two versions at the front door (Figure 20).

The other is to use JavaScript or a CGI script to detect different browsers and send the user to the appropriate site. This isn't foolproof. Many versions of MSIE self-identify as Mozilla (Netscape). Some folks advocate detecting something other than browser version to figure out what the browser's capabilities are. Some creative options:

• Detect cookies (Yes=2.0 and up browsers)

• Detect Java (Yes=2.0 and up browsers)

• Detect the LiveAudio plug-in (Yes=Netscape 3.0 and up)

• Detect the vCalendar plug-in (Yes=Netscape 4.0 and up)

• Detect ActiveX (Yes=Internet Explorer 3 and up)

Besides scripts, there are other ways you can semi-automatically separate out different users:

• Use a META refresh tag. Sites that follow it automatically to the new pages are 2.0 and up browsers. Users who stay on the first page get the links that go to the low-end site.

• Put Shockwave or Flash on the first page, and use an alternate image. If the movie doesn't load, users can click on the image to get to the low-end site. If it does load, include a link in the movie that will send them to the high-end site.

• See Chapter 16 for info about Behaviors for detecting plug-ins. Also keep your eye on the Macromedia Exchange site for new Behaviors, including a new Browser Detect Behavior.