This is a migrated thread and some comments may be shown as answers.

Internet Explorer 6

3 Answers 79 Views
Fun
This is a migrated thread and some comments may be shown as answers.
Serrin
Top achievements
Rank 1
Serrin asked on 19 Dec 2008, 06:23 PM
So here is a question I have after seeing a number of forum posts referencing the POS browser that is IE6...  Why do people still make an effort to support IE6?  I mean, the IE6 SP2 was released in 2004--- how many people should really go through all the effort it takes to support a slow, old, buggy browser that is four years old?  It seems rediculous for developers to spend their time trying to get their stuff to work seamlessly with all the new browsers as well as this dinosaur. ;D

Seriously, they stopped making VHS tapes at a certain point because we have newer, better technologies.  Why not drop IE6 like the dead duck it is?

Just my two cents, after dealing with several problems that only pop up in IE6 that my boss wants me to fix. :)

I remember hearing on either Buzz Out Loud (CNET podcast) or Net at Night (Twit) someone who said we should start a movement to respectfully encourage anyone using IE6 to upgrade to IE7 so we can stop wasting our time supporting it.  I fully support this, and feel that the community forum Fun! is a good place to start such a movement.

Can you tell it's Friday? ;)

3 Answers, 1 is accepted

Sort by
0
Serrin
Top achievements
Rank 1
answered on 23 Dec 2008, 08:03 PM
Seriously, I'm not alone on this:

http://ryanfarley.com/blog/archive/2008/08/18/why-i-am-no-longer-supporting-ie6.aspx

Thanks to my boss for sending me that one. :)
0
Esk
Top achievements
Rank 2
answered on 06 Feb 2009, 03:16 PM
The rule of the thumb regarding backwards compatibility is to support all major browsers 1 version behind and drop support for browsers that are under 5% in global use. as you can see from the tables in the bellow posted link IE6 was in 27.26% in december 08 

http://www.w3counter.com/globalstats.php

You simply can't ignore over a quoter of the users out there simply because its too much trouble to support that browser. When it comes down to it we as developer need to provide the best user experience for all users and until those users decide that IE6 is bad and they move to IE 7 or FF we can  not stop supporting it. Its just one of our duties as developers.
0
Brian
Top achievements
Rank 2
answered on 08 May 2011, 03:45 AM
Seriously. I have recently updated to 7. For those not so adept with their computers, there is always the trepidation that something will go wrong. More time, energy and perhaps cost. And I am having to spend the first two constantly on various upgrades that are always needed, and the computer ends up eating up my life. Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy - Los Angeles
Tags
Fun
Asked by
Serrin
Top achievements
Rank 1
Answers by
Serrin
Top achievements
Rank 1
Esk
Top achievements
Rank 2
Brian
Top achievements
Rank 2
Share this question
or