Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!mit.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Simon Lewis Newsgroups: comp.lang.javascript Subject: Re: Detection of devices using JavaScript Date: Fri, 16 May 2014 15:14:51 +0200 Organization: Lewis Lines: 35 Message-ID: <87lhu150hg.fsf@development.richardriley.net> References: <2757558.IxYUr6dfcW@PointedEars.de> <5374f76d$0$6664$9b4e6d93@newsspool3.arcor-online.net> <99395878-fe47-4f8d-986e-b10a4e9ae636@googlegroups.com> <5375f07e$0$6699$9b4e6d93@newsspool2.arcor-online.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Injection-Info: mit.eternal-september.org; posting-host="c7deb0ebd8c5bec08dc118bf5be1a1cf"; logging-data="18142"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1/WowXtFC3GWo8998nm92TNoqcZ61HxkgY=" User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/24.3 (gnu/linux) Cancel-Lock: sha1:NcUwE4H+XLk6TNuBzo97xb/5pzU= sha1:3DoesZ6XAbqF9yaaiGYnAu+txsI= Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.javascript:24185 Christoph Michael Becker writes: > Sithu.D wrote: > >> On Thursday, May 15, 2014 7:20:53 PM UTC+2, Christoph Michael Becker >> wrote: >> >>> Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote: >>> >>>> In most cases the need to "detect the type of device and os" is >>>> only a need >>> >>>> perceived because of lack of experience, not an actual need. >>> >>> ACK (at least wrt. to browser side scripting). >> >> Thanks, Christoph. It turns out all that I need is a regex pattern to >> search the User Agent after all. I got conflicting requirements. The >> real idea is to detect a mobile device on a website and then show the >> user an app download page. > > As Thomas has already hinted at, using the user agent string to detect > the browser/device is unreliable. See > ; the article > doesn't deal with mobile devices, but the issues pointed out are > basically the same. At least you should offer some way to get to the > download page for all users. > > However, it seems to be preferable to look for a more reliable solution > in the first place. I don't know if there exists such a solution, > though. No. Use the user agent. Why? because thats what people use when they *want* the full content or alternate content for a different device.