Why do people still use IE6?

In our newsletter this week I talked about the staying power of Internet Explorer 6 - why is it still being used by 30% of net users? I argued that there were good reasons for this, including:

- The fact that it's the default install in XP
- Most people don't know any better
- Corporates are tied into IE6
- Why should users care, as long as sites work in IE6?

Do you love IE6, or do you wish it would just disappear tomorrow? Why do so many people still use it? Post here and let us know what you think!

BTW if you want to get our twice-monthly newsletter for free, visit this link: http://www.elated.com/newsletter/

Simon

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It sounds like Microsoft finally rolled out a forced upgrade to IE7 in its 12 Feb auto update:

http://www.computing.co.uk/vnunet/news/2207622/microsoft-auto-update-ie7

Though you can block the update, which many corporates will no doubt do:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=4516A6F7-5D44-482B-9DBD-869B4A90159C&displaylang=en

I think corporates are the biggest problem here, as they have all that investment in IE6-only intranet software, as you say. Home users will presumably just get the auto update by default, so I assume the majority of them are now running on IE7 (whether they know it or not!).

Matt


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Matt Doyle, Elated
3rd Edition of my jQuery Mobile book out now! Learn to build mobile web apps. Free sample chapter: http://store.elated.com/

I have one word for IE6...grrr.

Cat

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http://web.soothed.com.au/
Web design for natural therapists

There are a very good reason for this.

First of all, Version 7 has a badly designed UI
1. The menu is on one side of the page, while the icons (home, print and so on) are on the other.

2. Icons are smaller, gray and hard to notice. This makes things harder for people with disabilities to use.

3. Naggigng security issues.

All in all, it made my organization seriously consider moving to Firefox.

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A. Bartov

Hi there,

Did your organisation actually move in the end, or did it stick to IE? Just wondering what it takes to get the corporate world to shift!



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Perhaps even more disturbing is that at least 2% of users still use IE5. 1 out of every 50 visitors to your site. That's about as many as use Safari, and more than use Opera.

How often do you test your sites in IE5?!

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Matt Doyle, Elated
3rd Edition of my jQuery Mobile book out now! Learn to build mobile web apps. Free sample chapter: http://store.elated.com/

I find the IE5 stats profoundly depressing...




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Oh yes, I still use Internet Explorer Version 6, to my shame. I have tried out Version 7, but became frustrated when I tried to find my way around it, and promptly despatched it, to return to Version 6.

I have to admit that I did not really give it a fair trial, I'm sure that Version 7 does not deserve such short shrift. My only excuse is that I was in a black mood at the time, Manchester United having lost at home on that day, if I recall correctly. I know that fellow supporters will understand that. I must have another go at it when they win the FA Cup or sump'n.

I am, by nature, resistant to change, my wife having to drag me , screaming & protesting, into the 21st century. No doubt there are plenty of others like me, and this purely human failing might be another reason why the uptake of Version 7 is not as great as it might be.

There is also a lurking, but irrational fear, particularly amongst non-technical people, who probably make up the great majority of users, that installing Version 7 might upset other software on the computer. Perhaps if users of Version 6 could receive more reassurance on this point, more of them might be persuaded to upgrade. I wonder who would provide it, though?

Fair point Mr Cumference. Change is bad, as we know.

I've spotted a couple of "End IE6" campaigns too:

http://www.end6.org/

http://www.savethedevelopers.org/index.php?s=2

In the grand tradition of the internet though, two campaigns for the same cause are arguing over whose idea it was:

http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2008/03/26/internet_explorer_six_save_developers/




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Fantastic! lol

Cat also pointed out to me that Facebook now gives you a nag message if you use it with IE6, asking you to upgrade...


--
Matt Doyle, Elated
3rd Edition of my jQuery Mobile book out now! Learn to build mobile web apps. Free sample chapter: http://store.elated.com/

Well I am hapy with use of Opera since its best for me and I have no poroblem with it. IX is suck for me and I stop using IE since 2005