News - Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6 disappears from the US

[HEXUS]

UK soon to follow.

Read more.

[Repressor]

...businesses and governments consider moving browsers a considerable costing exorcise.

iswydt.

[scaryjim]

iswydt.

You mean, using a spell checker instead of properly proof-reading the article...?

Due to some incredible oddity, ...

You mean like a lot of companies and public services having custom, mission-critical web-apps written in the early noughties by lazy developers? Developers who wrote apps using non-standards-compliant methods that *only* worked in IE6 instead of writing standards-compliant applications? Meaning those companies and services couldn't move away from IE6 because those critical apps would fail miserably in any other browser (including IE7 in compatibility mode, oddly enough)?

I'd certainly call it odd, although I'm not sure it qualifies as an incredible oddity...

[Scribe]

You mean, using a spell checker instead of properly proof-reading the article...?



You mean like a lot of companies and public services having custom, mission-critical web-apps written in the early noughties by lazy developers? Developers who wrote apps using non-standards-compliant methods that *only* worked in IE6 instead of writing standards-compliant applications? Meaning those companies and services couldn't move away from IE6 because those critical apps would fail miserably in any other browser (including IE7 in compatibility mode, oddly enough)?

I'd certainly call it odd, although I'm not sure it qualifies as an incredible oddity...

Not spell checker or proof-reading, just a little mild dyslexia (and perhaps subconscious thoughts)

By oddity, I mean this because IE6 only apps don't likely explain China or less recent trends, where there were still many end users on IE6. Also, the vast majority of IE6 legacy programs do function perfectly on newer versions of IE, certainly 7 and 8; I'm also drawing from my experience from speaking with various IT managers as to their concerns, the primary one was that they believe they'd have to fund employee training for a new browser.

[cheesemp]

I expect China's high number is down to pirated copies of Windows? I've heard its easier to buy a PC there with pirated windows than not. With Microsoft preventing installing newer IE on pirated windows its no surprise they still use 6.

[scaryjim]

... I'm also drawing from my experience from speaking with various IT managers as to their concerns, the primary one that they believe they'd have to fund employee training for a new browser.

Seriously? And these people are IT Managers? Man, I've known some slightly clueless managers in the past, but none that bad!

Certainly 4 - 5 years ago there was a prevailing belief - within public services, at least - that legacy web apps built specifically for IE6 wouldn't work correctly in newer browsers, although I suspect that part of that was the lack of resources for comprehensive testing.

[Scribe]

I expect China's high number is down to pirated copies of Windows? I've heard its easier to buy a PC there with pirated windows than not. With Microsoft preventing installing newer IE on pirated windows its no surprise they still use 6.

You're probably right but there must still be some element of failure to update, there are forms of Windows Update security bypassing out there that are not difficult to obtain or integrate into a cracked copy, I'd also expect a modern pirate copy to include IE7 or newer as I think this comes with XP SP3 and we know IE 6 isn't present with Windows 7.

[Scribe]

Seriously? And these people are IT Managers? Man, I've known some slightly clueless managers in the past, but none that bad!

Certainly 4 - 5 years ago there was a prevailing belief - within public services, at least - that legacy web apps built specifically for IE6 wouldn't work correctly in newer browsers, although I suspect that part of that was the lack of resources for comprehensive testing.

Well it's more company policy and atmosphere, some have this inexplicable need for training on the simplest of things, not just in IT. From an IT point of view there's a fixed budget etc so managers tend to focus on what they want to make their lives easier (easier to manage infrastructure etc).

[cheesemp]

You're probably right but there must still be some element of failure to update, there are forms of Windows Update security bypassing out there that are not difficult to obtain or integrate into a cracked copy, I'd also expect a modern pirate copy to include IE7 or newer as I think this comes with XP SP3 and we know IE 6 isn't present with Windows 7.

Yes but that assuming the PCs have SP3. I expect most are running the old (SP1?) volume license copy of XP that leaked years ago. After all it works, needs no hacking about and these people don't care if your running the latest and greatest or not.

[Slystuff]

They still use IE6 where I work. Granted the vast majority of users only have access to the company intranet, but I wish they'd have updated to IE7 or beyond by now.
I'm just far to used to tabbed browsing outside of work, that having to use multiple windows does become a bit of a pain at times at work.

[miniyazz]

the primary one was that they believe they'd have to fund employee training for a new browser.

Pah! More likely they have to fund employee training for IE6, since it's so archaic no-one who's used to newer browsers will understand it..

They still use IE6 where I work. Granted the vast majority of users only have access to the company intranet, but I wish they'd have updated to IE7 or beyond by now.
I'm just far to used to tabbed browsing outside of work, that having to use multiple windows does become a bit of a pain at times at work.

I actually find multiple windows better than tabs for work

It makes it easier to quickly switch between various web applications than tabs allow (given that other work apps are outside of the browser).

[pipTheGeek]

Pah! More likely they have to fund employee training for IE6, since it's so archaic no-one who's used to newer browsers will understand it..



I actually find multiple windows better than tabs for work

It makes it easier to quickly switch between various web applications than tabs allow (given that other work apps are outside of the browser).

I use multiple windows and multiple tabs. Sometimes deliberatly. I have got used to IE 9 at home now, but I tried to install it at work and it failed, everytime I go for the favorites I end up going for the wrong side of the screen!

We have third party apps at work that are only supported in IE6 and others that are not supported in IE6. We also have an app that works in IE6 and also works in IE7, BUT only if compatability mode is turned off. Sadly the default is on for Intranet sites. (Oh, and an app that actually doesn't work correctly in anything other than IE6).

As one of the developers, I'm pleased to say all of our web applications have worked without modification in 6,7,8 and 9. Ironically, one of our winforms apps didn't. (It can open a browser to link to another system and has to pass a url on the command line, sometimes this ended in -k which IE7 and 8 take to mean kiosk mode, despite the fact that it was not preceded by a space)