Legal Marketing & PR

Internet Explorer 6 Support: Why not to use

By Kyle Aikens

They?ve done studies you know, 60% of the time it works, every time.

It?s been 8 long years since the release of Internet Explorer 6. For the past 4 years IE6 has been terrorizing hundreds of thousands of Web Developers worldwide, from New York to Bangladesh.

This History

Internet Explorer 6 was born into war at the climax of the infamous 1990?s browser war. At the time Microsoft was battling Netscape for its seat as the big honcho of the Internet world. The release of IE6 put the nail in the coffin on the 90?s browsers war; crushing Netscape and leading them to their eventual bankruptcy. Since the late 90?s, new browsers such as Firefox, Safari, and Google Chrome have stepped up to the plate to challenge Microsoft?s once unmatchable prestige. Stepping away from table based designs, into what we in the industry call ?The Semantic Web?, the separation of content, design, and functionality.

The Problem

What?s that mean to the Average Joe? If you?re using Internet Explorer 6, your internet experience is kind of like using a screw driver when you have an electric drill readily available. You?re using archaic technology, which serves no purpose in our ever changing world. EVERY supported browser to date; besides IE6 supports web standards, this includes? Firefox 2, Firefox 3, Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 8, Safari, Google Chrome, and yes even Opera.

Why to upgrade from IE6:

• No Web Standards Support
• 20% more time, and work to develop
• 20% longer clients have to wait for their product
• Multi-million dollar corporations such as Google, Yahoo, and 37 Signals (developers of famous web solutions such as Base camp management system) have stopped supporting IE6
• It was ranked 8 by PC World as one of the worst tech products of all time
• 17% of people in the world use IE6 and the numbers are shrinking rapidly every single day!
• Its 8 years old? What other technology are you using that is 8 years old? Imagine still using one of those Cell Phones that you had to keep plugged into the cigarette lighter of your car; that?s how old of technology you are using with IE6.
• And many, MANY, more reasons?

The Solution

UPGRADE! This is by no means a bashing of Microsoft; I use Windows based PC every day, all day to work as a developer, designer, and internet user. I?m not a Mac fanatic, in fact quite the opposite.

Upgrade Internet Explorer: Microsoft has released 2 full versions of their browser since the release of IE6, both very good solutions. On March 19^th, 2009 Microsoft released its newest addition to the Microsoft family, IE8. This is fully compatible, fully functional, and has had extensive security updates since its predecessor IE7. Download IE8 Today!

Mozilla Firefox: Better yet, make a switch. Mozilla?s Firefox has been slowly but surely taking over the market in the current Browser war. It has a HUGE following in the web development community, and is now hitting the 50% mark for worldwide browser usage. It is neck and neck with Internet Explorer. Download Firefox Today!

All said and done, the bottom line is making a change in your internet browser experience; I?m not biased on which one. Do it for us the developers, do it for you the user. Sooner than later the web community and the developers at PaperStreet will acknowledge that IE6 is no longer beneficial to develop for and we will discontinue support of it. Please upgrade, I guarantee you a 150% better internet experience. If you?re on dialup still, email me at kyle@paperstreet.com and I will personally mail you a copy of Firefox 3 for you to install.

Full post as published by PaperStreet Web Design: SpeakOut on April 06, 2009 (boomark / email).