Andy Milk Interactive

If you talk to any web developer who builds anything on the front end (HTML, CSS, DHTML, Javascript, AJAX, etc.) about Internet Explorer 6, you’re bound to hear some harsh words. This browser was launched in August 2001, back when every DOTCOM cube had a Foosball table, everyone’s stock options were worth a small island, and I’m pretty sure the AJAX acronym wasn’t even created yet.  I think Netscape was also the leading browser too.

IE6 takes up about 25% of the CSS and AJAX time I put into sites these days, if they’re being supported, because of it’s shoddy adherence to HTML and CSS standards, and it’s inability to handle specific Javascript tasks. Some purists claim that as long as the HTML and CSS is structured correctly, there shouldn’t be any discrepancies, but I beg to differ.  Many advanced CSS layouts require customization for IE6.  Luckly, there’s a very easy way to include IE6- and IE7-style sheets, but sometimes that doesn’t even cut it.  I’ve even had to use server-side browser detection to insert inline styles to handle some issues.

In my opinion, new web applications should follow Facebook’s lead and strongly suggest users upgrade and warn that many of the slick features within their site won’t function correctly.  I recently tried to send a message to someone on Facebook using IE6 without any luck.  Good move Facebook!  Leave those users and companies behind!  (with a friendly nudge to upgrade)

At the time of this post, W3Schools is reporting that 24.5% of global internet users are STILL using IE6.  It’s steadily declining almost a point per month, which will bring it around 20% at the start of 2009, but that’s not fast enough.

I’m passively starting a campaign with this post to encourage people to upgrade to the newest version of IE or another browser altogether.

If you run Internet Explorer 6 on your PC and you have no restrictions on making changes to your software, please take these steps:

1.  Email me and apologize. 
2.  Upgrade to the latest Internet Explorer, or better yet, try Firefox (who urge users in their own browser to upgrade) or Google Chrome.

If your company or school has set Internet Explorer 6 as a standard, take these steps:

1.  Email your boss or administrator and politely ask them to upgrade to the latest version of Internet Explorer so you can take the advantage of modern web technologies and be MORE PRODUCTIVE as an employee or student.

2.  Install Firefox or Google Chrome and use that until they upgrade.

Hmmm, maybe I’ll put together a little widget that people can embed on their MySpaces and Facebooks to urge users to upgrade.

Feel free to post your ideas on how to spread this message.  Or if you just want to complain about IE6, be my guest.

Cheers,

Andy