

Ask HN: Why do websites ignore my use desktop version preference - leejw00t354

When using my mobile, a WP7 HTC Trophy, I set my browser to as default load websites in their desktop version.
This usually works 9 times out of 10 but I sometimes find the site will display a mobile version anyway.
Why does this happen? Is it done on purpose or by sloppy coding?<p>Is there some kind of special header for requesting a mobile version of a website or do they just use the user-agent?
======
Tactalneck
I haven't looked to deeply into how they would figure it out, but (for
example) porn sites often do this because they let you stream for free on the
desktop but want to charge you on their mobile version.

~~~
leejw00t354
Maybe it's more purposeful then.

I know Youtube does it, but I think they do it on purpose because the desktop
version wouldn't work at all on my phone because it doesn't support flash.

Surprisingly Google sends me to their mobile site by default. I don't really
see what they have to gain from doing that? My phone handles the desktop
version really well and I have access to all the other extras that come with
it. I don't think Google would have been so sloppy to have done it by
accident.

~~~
Tactalneck
Google may give different results for their mobile browser and have longer
term plans for SPFY type enhancements that take into account that you're using
a mobile device.

I also think the mobile version would use fewer resources per search than the
full featured, desktop search with Google Instant.

Advertisers may also want to be able to target mobile users vs. desktop users
separately.

