Internet Explorer 8, 9 and 10 have "Compatibility View", a feature that allows these new Microsoft browsers to display older websites in their original style. The Old Lewesians website was originally designed many years ago for use with IE7 and so it may be displayed incorrectly on these more recent browsers. To display it correctly you should add www.old-lewesians.org.uk to the list of sites to be shown in Compatibility View.
To do this, follow the steps below on your IE8, IE9 or IE10 browser:
1. Show the "www.old-lewesians.org.uk" website on your IE8, IE9 or IE10 browser.
2. Press "Alt" key, click "Tools" on the top menu and select "Compatibility View Settings" on the drop-down menu.
3. Click "Add" to put "www.old-lewesians.org.uk" onto the list of sites using Compatibility View.
4. Close the Settings window.
That's it! It resets the appearance of ALL pages on www.old-lewesians.org.uk website to the original style in ALL future visits.
When you close the Settings window, the page you are on will display the Old Lewesians website in the original XP/IE7 style. The changes may be minor but you may notice that some borders and boundaries are now correctly placed. You will now be looking at the Old Lewesians website on your IE8, IE9 or IE10 browser as it was originally intended on XP/IE7.
Users of XP/IE7 who do not wish to upgrade to a new machine are advised to upgrade from XP/IE7 to XP/IE8 if their computer is only a few years old. They can download from Microsoft a version of IE8 designed exclusively for use with Windows XP. This free upgrade is offered by MS because support for IE7 will soon be withdrawn. This free upgrade is ideal for those who do not want the bother or expense of upgrading to a new machine with Windows7/IE9.
If you have Windows Vista and IE7 you are advised to replace IE7 with IE8. There are special versions of IE8 for use with Windows Vista (32 bit) available from the same site.
If you take this option you can APPLY THE ABOVE "COMPATIBILITY VIEW" SETTING to this new IE8 browser. You will then have a far better browser capable of displaying both old websites AND newer HTML5 websites. You need to install IE8 on Windows XP!
This browser upgrade and Compatibility View is a very welcome step by Microsoft to soften the impact of the introduction of HTML5 as the new coding language for the internet. HTML5 is cautiously being adopted by all browser manufacturers to allow for new applications and new hardware. Software writers and web designers should update existing code and techiques but often this will not get done due to the cost and time required. This process could stretch over ten years and will be implemented gradually so that it causes as little disruption as possible. Compatibility View in these new MS Browsers will make this transition easier.
We are of the opinion that the Old Lewesians could be an active body with reunions for perhaps another fifteen or more years. Beyond that it may have a role as a historical document for later generations.