Nobody likes it, everybody hates it, why won’t IE6 just die?
Web developers hate Internet Explorer 6. It was released in 2001—way back in the free, pre-dystopian days before 9/11—and all but abandoned by Microsoft shortly afterwards. It received a few security fixes, the last of which came in April 2008, but no new functionality. To be fair, back in 2001 it was a far better browser than most of the competition, but its stasis since then has harmed web development. IE6 doesn’t fully support version 2 of CSS (released in 1998!). Its JavaScript engine is slow. It exhibits a number of infuriating layout bugs. None of this would matter if people weren’t still using it, but, alas, a large enough proportion of the masses still clings to it that no commercial enterprise can afford to ignore IE6. Web development is thus hobbled, restricted to the lowest common denominator by the inadequacies of Internet Explorer 6.
Internet Explorer 7 was released in 2006, and version 8 is currently in beta and will be released shortly. There’s no excuse to be stuck on version 6, and web developers are beginning to revolt. A whole swathe of popular websites in Norway—including popular newspapers like Aftenposten and Morgenbladet—have started showing information boxes to visitors encouraging them to upgrade or switch their browsers. The first was finn.no (translation via Christian Johansen):
Heads up: You’re using an older version of Internet Explorer.
In order to get the most out of our website, you can get a free update of Internet Explorer. If you’re using a work computer, you should contact your IT administrator.
Other sites have added links to alternative browsers.
I’ve always used conditional comments to show a brusque message to visitors using Internet Explorer 6, inviting them to upgrade, but it wasn’t particularly visible. I’ve decided to take it to a new level of obnoxiousness in response to the Norwegian outbreak:
Only 26% of my visitors use any version of Internet Explorer; 5% are using IE6. But that’s still one twentieth, and it’s time they stopped! Let’s make 2009 the year that IE6 is finally buried.
2009-02-20 21:47 UTC. Comments: 7.
Rob
Wrote at 2009-02-20 22:49 UTC using Firefox 3.0.6 on Windows Vista:
Great. Now we just need some big UK sites to join in. BBC? Or maybe even Google (although they would be more interested in pushing Chrome)Strawp
Wrote at 2009-02-21 12:22 UTC using Safari (Mobile) 523.12.2 on Android:
Hah! Marvelous. I fully endorse this message.Users will never upgrade if we keep pandering to them. NN4 was the last monolith that was a pain to support but even that didn’t stay mainstream for 8 years.
I tend to do passive aggressive things like using transparent PNGs which look terrible in IE6.
PS Your user agent parsing thing for this comment box isn’t too accurate. Steel on Android FYI :P
Paul Battley
Wrote at 2009-02-21 12:41 UTC using Firefox 3.0.6 on Linux:
I’ve added Android to the list of OSes, but whatever Steel is it claims to be Mobile Safari!mogsog
Wrote at 2009-02-23 19:01 UTC using Firefox 3.0.6 on Windows XP:
Heh, I hate IE6 really bad but I can do one worse my work computers use IE5 it really hurts me when I have to use them.Paul Battley
Wrote at 2009-02-23 19:29 UTC using Firefox 3.0.6 on Linux:
mogsog: That’s unbelievable! I recommend you change your job!I’m only half joking: I spend most of my working day in front of a computer, and the tools I use are vitally important to me. I wouldn’t even take a job that required me to use Windows, let alone IE6.
kzap
Wrote at 2009-02-28 12:39 UTC using Firefox 3.0.6 on Linux:
Are school uses IE6 they have finally (this week) stated crossing some of the computers onto IE7, I would suggest firefox but I know they won’t listen, my relationship with my school IT department is strained to say the least.THEY HAVEN’T EVEN HEARD OF LINUX!
Tomaz
Wrote at 2009-03-03 03:56 UTC using Firefox 3.0.6 on Windows Vista:
People keep using it because they dont like change and they are told to click “No” whenever anything pops up on their computer.You’re lucky – I have a non-tech website and 60% use IE, of those 30% are IE6. Since my website is commercial I don’t have the luxury of ignoring them…