Posted 6 August 2007, by Aaron
Over at Web Designer Wall, there’s an interesting discussion rolling after Nick La put a case together for why web designers and developers should stop using Internet Explorer CSS hacks on their websites.
The logic of his argument is built on the belief that by stopping support for IE6 users (currently 50 per cent of Internet users), it will force those users to upgrade to a better browser.
“But, together we can make a difference. Stop using IE hacks on your sites and let them see the ugly side of IE6. Eventually, they will find a better browser (ie Firefox) or at least upgrade to a newer version of IE.”
A poll has been running with 85 per cent agreeing that yes we should stop using IE6 hacks, to 15 per cent saying we should carry on using IE6 hacks.
Here is why 85 per cent of those voters are wrong:
- Many IE6 users are either a) within businesses and organisations whose computers are locked to a certain configuration, or b) users of older computers and operating systems (eg Windows 2000) and upgrading is not a possibility.
- The client you are building a website for probably cares about those 50 per cent of users who you are about to alienate. In fact, your client probably cares about them a lot. And they’re paying you to do a job!
- When non-techy IE6 users find your standards only site not rendering in the only Internet browser they’ve ever known, they’re going to do one thing. It begins in ‘B’ and ends in ‘ACK’.
I couldn’t agree more that hacking CSS for IE6 support can be a real pain, especially since Windows automatically took it off all my computers and replaced it with IE7. But not supporting 50 per cent of Internet users is daft.
When does it become OK to drop IE6 support?
However, when all is said and done, IE6 is a dying browser, right? Even for the die-hard accessibility evangelists there must become a point where we stop support. When and where is that point?
Many thanks for the previous posts’ comments: Napolux, Vivien and Ronald.
Related articles:
Tags:Accessibility, CSS, Internet Explorer, Web Design
I personally think it’s a wee bit too early to drop IE 6 support. There are still lots of corporate and Government computers that only have IE 6 installed. The hacks are still needed unfortunately.
If you look at the source of raproject.com, you’ll see my disgust for IE hacks, but unfortunately they are still necessary.
I know many people who don’t even know what browser they’re using, all they know is that they click on the “e” icon on their windows and get on internet. They have no idea how they can switch to another browser, how to install, and that they’re actually using an “evil” browser and that there are better ones. As long as most PCs are automatically shipped with Windows and IE, we’ll still unfortunately have to cater to those 50% of users who browse Web with IE.
You’re right all the way around Aaron. It’s a rather short-sighted approach that certainly does not take into account that many users, like Vivien said, don’t know what browser they’re using or how to update it. I guess when you stop supporting it depends on the specific stats of the site. Just like choosing which resolution to design for, you have to know your users and make life easy for them. Making life hard for them to try and force them to switch is a recipe for failure.
Ronald - I like your style sheet naming convention 
But you’re right, too early to stop the IE hacks yet.
Vivien - Are you talking about my dad?
Randa - Sure, it cant be in anyone’s interest to make life hard for your users, except maybe the interests of your rivals/competitors. As you say though, there will come a time when I stop checking my sites on IE6 at least, and that will be when the IE6 user-base is so insignificant that the effort it takes to check the site outweighs the benefit of keeping those users happy.
Great topic for a post.
It’s too soon to drop support for IE6. For example, today I was at a design agency I do some work for–I was showing them a web site I’m developing, and to my horror (I hadn’t yet tested the site on IE6), there were some pretty horrendous layout problems. The problem is, poorly rendered sites will NOT force people to change; in some instances, they’ll just think that the page is designed badly. The problem with the above-mentioned poll is that–on the whole–those who respond will be developers; the sample therefore cannot be extrapolated to the wider web-using audience.
The average user has no idea about the differences in rendering between browsers. I have clients who don’t know what a browser is! In response to my question, “which browser do you use”, one client replied “Windows, I think”. If I mention “FireFox” to some of my clients, they’ll think I’m talking about some mythical mountain-dwelling mammal.
While my web stats tell me that a good proportion of my users still use IE6, I’ll still support it. It will take time for IE6 numbers to drop, but once Vista begins replacing XP on most desktops, then naturally IE6 will die.
I really do not support the “don’t support it and they’ll be forced to change” argument. It’s nonsense–it really doesn’t work like that.
Note: according to w3schools.com IE6, in June 2007 had 37.3% market share! For the same period, IE7: 19.7%; FF: 34%.
I’m with you Johno - trying to force people to change by not supporting them seems a bit of a backward way of approaching things.
LMAO - “mythical mountain-dwelling mammal” indeed! 
Yeh I agree with the majority here, a better solution would be to advertise Firefox (or whatever you use) as a better browser to create a slow conversion.
Yeah, it’s inescapable: your client is probably using IE6! Try telling them they they need to upgrade or change browsers. You’re gonna look pretty weak, professionally. (unless it’s IE Mac…that software needs to become extinct, now!)
Totally agree with the above responses–most of my clients don’t know how to answer the question which browser are you using? Let alone which version.
We just have to deal with it, I think. I am continually grateful for those designers that publish compatibility fixes–I’d be sunk without them!
IE browsers need to become extinct… I love accessibility, it is my top priority when building a website.
However, the term ‘Accessibility’ doesn’t contain ‘Proprietary’ in it’s definition:
We developers spend a huge amount of waisted time working for IESicks( IE7), when neither comply to accessible web standards…
Harsh analogy:
If a physically disabled person, with no use of their legs, complained that a ramp accessing your building didn’t work with the proprietary square wheels on their wheelchair, what would you do?
Would you say ‘upgrade your wheelchair’?
I have to agree reluctantly with those who point out that upgrading or switching a browser is a technical challenge beyond many users. It has happened too many times that I have asked a client or a user which browser they are using –and they don’t know how to answer the question.
Microsoft has integrated their browser so seamlessly into the operating system that to switch to Firefox for those users amounts to a deep customization of the user environment.
The wheelchair analogy is misleading because it oversimplifies the situation, pointing out that absurdity that is patently obvious to those who understand the situation, but glossing over the practical obstacles to addressing it.
If there were a button you could press that would somehow completely replace IE with Firefox in Windows, that would be a substantial first step…sadly I don’t think it’s technically possible. Microsoft is perfectly happy with that and is unlikely to facilitate a browser switch short of an act of Congress.
What’s happened to me time and time again is that my clients are using IE6! I can’t ask them to upgrade so that my sites will display correctly! Their first question is going to be “what’s the site going to look like for all the other IE6 users out there?”
If only we could bill Microsoft for all that time we spend making websites work on their browsers!
Thanks for contributing your thoughts Roland. I’ve been reading with interest a lot of the talk around IE8 and the controversial version targeting. I actually think it’s probably a good thing and *may* signal the end of IE6. Until that day though, with IE6 we must live.
Who is going to have a wheelchair with square wheels? Are you on drugs?
We are in a position to educate people so that’s what we must do. I build an IE warning into all my websites now, telling the user to get a better browser if they want to get the most out of the website. If everyone did it, you wouldn’t be able to browse the web without realising that you are using severely outdated software.
I also write into contracts that I code to support standards compliant browsers. Supporting non-standards compliant browsers is another job in itself, and must therefore be charged separately.
If we all stopped being concerned about ‘looking bad’ because we don’t support a really terrible product, and actually gave good solid advice to our clients, we could easily change things.
I don’t agree with those that say it’s not as simple as trying to force people. It is. If all web-developers stopped supporting IE6 hacks tomorrow there would be no choice in the matter.
Get some balls and ditch IE6.
Bob - Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I have my fingers crossed that IE8 is the answer we have all been waiting for. Big corporations wont be forced into changing browsers throughout the company mainly because they have Intranet and web applications that are ONLY compatible in IE6 and changing browser would require massive redevelopment work. Until IE8 and version targeting though, I think we still need to support IE6 I’m afraid.
Bob - I was referring to IE6 as a wheelchair with square wheels - terrible for accessibility. And no, no drugs involved, just a vividly frustrated imagination! Obviously no-one would choose to have square wheels, because it’s just not practical. 
It is an over simplification of the situation (as pointed out by Roland who’s views were spot on btw) but the fact of the matter is that people need us to support IE6. We can’t ignore 40% of internet users because IE wastes our time.
IE6 users still matter, even if they are trying to roll on square wheels. I’m guessing none of your clients have online shops? Most e-commerce sites cannot disregard 40% of their profits because it wastes their developers time.
Many businesses, medical institutions and even some schools haven’t or can’t upgrade because their end users have a lack of permissions on their machine, even if they wanted to upgrade they can’t. One of our major e-commerce clients is in the medical industry and many of his users are stuck with Netscape Navigator because they can’t upgrade. I’m not saying everyone should support it, but for some even the most archaic browsers are still a necessity.
Just a note about having balls, I have two and I make a point of recommending to everyone I know (clients as well) to upgrade to Firefox, or IE7 at the very least.
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Ronald Huereca
7 August 2007, 12:18 am