Want to test your own email client?
Posted by Mathew Patterson on August 6, 2008
in
Site Updates
We've tested the major market email clients with our acid test so far, the ones we get the most complaints and questions about. There are plenty of other email programs out there though, on the web and on desktops.
We've received a lot of requests for people to be able to test their own preferred email client, so here's your chance. Just add your email address (the one associated with the email client you want to test) to the list below, and we will send a copy of the ACID test to that address right away.
Please send me your email ACID test
We're always interested in hearing about email client support for HTML and CSS. In the future, we may well increase our official testing to include other clients too. Thanks again for your support of the Email Standards Project.
I ran the acid test through my Go Daddy mail client. The support was actually better then I expected. Ultimately the email looks good, here’s what did not work:
background header image
background style bullet image
list style bullet (used standard bullets instead of image)
Right float with a positioned background
a:hover background image
heya, i’ve tested it with gmx.net (german webmail client) - and it looks rly bad :(
-> http://img232.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gmxmeingmx1218041655640ix5.png
I just ran your acid test through my Nokia N82 mobile phone, and I’m very surprised! On the N82, HTML emails appear as attachments, which can then be opened in the built-in browser.
Once opened in the browser (an easy and seamless process), everything appeared to work as intended. The backgrounds showed up, and changed as you rolled over them with the cursor; the links changed when rolled-over; the background position worked; all elements seemed to be the right size, shape and layout. The only thing that didn’t work was the element using Trebuchet MS as the font: the element appeared ok, just not in Trebuchet MS; I’d be very surprised if this was anything other than the N82 simply not having Trebuchet MS installed.
I just wish I could’ve taken a screenshot!
(For the record, the Nokia N82 runs Symbian S60 FP3, which I believe has a browser based on WebKit.)
I had a go a my work email - we are using/have to use Lotus Notes 6.5
The result is, well ... not even a results in my view… have a look http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/9057/emailacidir2.png
And here how it looks in my gmail account http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/285/emailaciggmaildc6.png
Here is the result for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (12.0.6316.5000) SP1 MSO (12.0.6213.1000):
http://i33.tinypic.com/29dv9t1.png
I’ve tried the acid test on gnome evolution 2.22.3.1 on ubuntu 8.04.1 with awful results:
http://i33.tinypic.com/1zc1o3p.jpg
This client should take some serious work on html support
I tested with Eudora 7.1, the last commercial version of Eudora, before Qualcomm decided to go open source and use Thunderbird for their engine.
I always thought Eudora 7.1 did 100% with its rendering, but I do see a few small errors:
1. the title is wrapped
2. the last block and the block with the photo and float are a bit too wide.
3. there is too much padding on the right of the photo.
4. the list images are indented a bit too much.
See http://i36.tinypic.com/29bdgrq.jpg
Tested BlackBerry Bold, Curve and Pearl
iPhone Software Update 2.1 & 2.2
Treo Palm OS and Windows
Photos and commentary here:
http://isendemailforaliving.blogspot.com/2008/12/mobile-email-rendering.html
Thanks I’ll be sure to do it!
Firstly, please delete all the spam and duplicated comments.
Secondly, regarding the plain text content of the acid test message, I personally think it’s a clever sideways usage of the alternative form. As it’s impossible to have anything meaningful in there apart from a reminder that you are viewing the message in the wrong form, I think what you’ve done is smart.
Thirdly, my personal preference is always for plain text e-mail but having spent some time in the real world I do see that HTML mail is useful in certain circumstances. That being the case, I think that an effort to standardise the display of such messages is vital and I commend and support you wholeheartedly.
Finally, my results from Pegasus Mail 4.41 with BearHTML4 (I know there is another poster with this client but I thought I’d specify the failings):
1. List style bullets not displayed but image place-holder present.
2. Float area not floated; background either not present or not visible.
3. Borders and link hover: arrow image not visible before or during hover.
Otherwise flawless.