h5bp/html5-boilerplate — pull request #1481 by alrra (2013-12-12 23:15:26+00:00)
Title: [proposal] Add `/browserconfig.xml` and tile images ?

[proposal] Add `/browserconfig.xml` and tile images ?

By default, starting with IE 11 on Windows 8.1, IE requests `/browserconfig.xml` whenever a user hits the `pin site button` (same as Safari for iOS does with the `apple-touch-icons` when the user hits the `share button` ).

--

Note(s):

* from my tests, `/browserconfig.xml` seems to be requested even if the tile images are specified in the `html` page:

```html

```

* to specify a custom config file, use the following `meta` tag in the `

` portion of the page:

```html

```

---

Adding `/browserconfig.xml` and the tile images:

* reduces the number of 404s, especially as IE 11 and Windows 8.1 get more market share
* provides a starting point for dealing and customizing Windows tiles
* reminds users about the tile images, so that their site doesn't end up having as a tile the default IE11 logo, or (if the favicon is 32x32px or bigger and not `.ico`) the site's favicon
* reduces the page size compare to using `` tags (the `/browserconfig.xml` isn't delivered with every page, and is only requested when the user clicks the `pin site button`)

Only two images are used instead of four, as:

* 558 x 558px (Large) - is used for the `Small`, `Medium`, and `Large` tiles, being automatically resized where necessary
* 558 x 270px (Wide) - is used for the `Wide` tile as, in this case, resizing the 558 x 558px image just ends up looking weird

The two images used are 558 x 558px / 558 x 270px because that is the recommended image size in order for the tiles to look good on a wide range of devices.

For more information about `/browserconfig.xml` and tile images:
* http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ie/dn455106.aspx
* http://www.buildmypinnedsite.com/ (if you want to view how different sized tiles look)

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For now I just wanted to see what you guys think about this additions. I'll refine this pull request as we go along (adding/updating the related docs, changes things based on suggestions etc.)