I recently found out that my website that I designed to work with IE7 and Firefox 2, doesn't work properly with IE6. I'd like to see a recent chart or something that tells me the percentage of users between IE6 and IE7. Anyone know where I can get one thats updated regularly?

http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp ?

Unfortunately, IE6, however outdated and insecure, is still to widespread to not support it. (Unless you already have a target audience and you know not many people use IE6)

those are VERY skewed stats... FireFox doesn't have that big of a market share across the whole web, maybe users on w3c's sites but not on the entire web

I moved from IE6 to FireFox 2, but I updated to IE7 for security.

Same here, kinda. I moved to Opera from IE 5 and have only updated IE for security.

Ditto.

Yea I'd say that updating to IE7 is a must for everyone!

Id say most people use IE6.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, not supporting IE6 is a stupid move as a web designer or developer. There are simply too many people out there using IE6 because 1) they don't trust IE7, 2) they don't like IE7, or 3) they're just lazy. It's far too early to cut support for IE6 as IE7 has only been out for months. Besides, making something work in IE6 as opposed to IE7 isn't that drastic. Use the IE conditional statements to include certain stylesheets, and in your stylesheet, using IE6 specific stlyes: * html #header { } /* Applies to IE6 and below only */

Developers of software and websites SHOULD stop supporting IE 6!

It is the people's fault if they are still using IE 6. I have no sympathy for them.

1) If they do not trust IE 6, then that is thier fault. They can read reviews on the Internet; or, use their common sense, open their eyes and see the phishing filters and security measures that are staring them right in the face!

2) If they don't like IE 7 then again that is thier fault. They can get FireFox or another browswer (especially one with skins). I'm sure they can find a browser they like, out there somewhere. Or they can just realise that IE 7 is the future and is MUCH better!

3) Too lazy!!!?!!? Again, this is thier fault! If they are too lazy to upgrade (does not take much effort at all), then why can't the developers be too lazy to support IE 6? (which would probably take a little bit more effort to do than a lazy customer clickin "Install" in Windows Update).

I have no sympathy for people who refuse to upgrade to IE 6, it is thier fault. Also, you cannot say that people do not know about IE 7 (I know you haven't, but some will); EVERYBODY who has an Internet connection, and a pair of working eyes, have been informed that a new IE version is out, by Microsoft, through Windows Update and other mediums.

IE 6 is redundant now in my opinion and EVERYBODY should upgrade to IE 7.


P.S. I agree that some small and large business may not have upgraded (e.g. my school), but again, this falls under the "lazy" aspect! It doesn't take more than a day to upgrade a whole school network! And the holidays would be an excellent time, yet alas they still have not.)

While I agree that any mission critical and corporate websites must still support IE6, I do encourage everyone to drop support for it in favour of a warning message telling the user to update to IE7 on their personal websites. IE6 needs to be phased out and any little bit to compel a user to update helps.

In terms of market share, it's still very large and yes corporate/business/money-making websites, etc, should still support it. It also depends on the target audience. It'll likely be reasonable if you drop support for IE6 on a website that gets say 10% of IE6 visitors, as in a lot of tech websites.

Remember, IE7 is only available for XP SP2 and higher, so not everybody can upgrade to 7

And check your site stats for a amount of users that have upgraded to 7 (for me, it's 9% on 7, 14% on 6)

Another reason people may not have upgraded is that they are not genuine...........................................ly interested in upgrading IE.

I understand about the requirements which is one reason why maybe they should support IE 6.

But in reply to the above comment: If people are not genuinely interested in upgrading IE, then it is thier fault if some of thier favorite websites do not show up properly. I have no sympathy for them. Software updates are there for a reason and IE 6 has a newer update - thus making IE 6 OLD and redundant!

Screw them?

this is true

wise up.

just like software developers should instantly stop making stuff for XP just because vista has come out?

maybe in a few years...same with IE6. it is so prevalent that only an idiot wouldn't at least try to make their site accessible with IE6. especially if you run a business website where you sell...

My bank (Abbey) still won't suport any browser except I.E. 6. However they still let any other browser if you click goto login.

When I think about it, it would be stupid for developers to stop supporting IE 6 (however, they should encourage people to upgrade by putting a message in thier site).

I agree fully with the person who wrote the message under my first message, now I think about it.

As long as the majority of visitors are using a particular browser, the onus is on the webmaster to continue supporting for that browser. On my site, usage stats are as follows:

I'm currently using my dad's computer because the power supply took a dump in my computer, and one of the first things I did was put in 64bit Windows XP and upgrade to IE7. Anyone who is a hardcore internet user (browses the internet for horurs on end) and is up to snuff with internet security will upgrade to IE7 (that's probably why the percentage of IE7 users are so low -- there aren't many people out there who are actually intelligent about internet security). There's no reason not to upgrade to IE7 unless you're using a pirated copy of Windows XP and can't make the transition to IE7. In that case, for your security, use Opera or Firefox 2. Do not use IE6, you're only setting yourself up for a disaster, granted you hit the right website.

predator001: His point is to get people to stop using the insecure IE6 and start using the more secure, and smarter IE7. With all the phishing going around in websites, and fraud, you would be silly not to use IE7 over IE6, granted you have the choice. The problem is, more than half of the Windows XP users actually run a pirated copy of the operating system and can't make the transition to IE7 because of validation issues. Only one of my friends actually use a legit copy of Windows XP, everyone else I know is all illegal. If website developers would stop supporting IE6 and would only support IE7, that would not only imcrase the amount of sales for Microsoft, but it would also ensure that more people are securely browsing the internet.

There are a lot of cool features in Firefox 2, Opera, and IE7 alike, such as tabbed browsing, spell checking, text-to-speech, tighter security, and higher compatibility. Firefox 2 has the spell checking, they all have tabbed browsing, but IE7 has the increased security and compatibility, whereas if you turn to Opera, you have text-to-speech and a lot of bandwidth feedback that neither IE7 nor Firefox 2 provide. The theory here is, if you're using IE6 and you're concerned about your internet security, then stop it -- pick up Firefox 2 or Opera if you can't get passed the validation to install IE7. All three browsers have a lot of innovative freatures that make browsing the internet more secure and fun. I chose IE7 over them all because its's made by Microsoft, which means it's going to have the best compatibility, it has a lot of security features, and it's the "official" supported medium for browsing on more than most of the websites. Firefox 2 has a little bit of compatibility issues with some websites, and so does Opera, but they're all great web browsers, and they're all more secure and more compatibile than IE6.

That is only visitors to the w3c sites... and talk about a massively skewed numbers at that... in the REAL world its no where near 30+% for FF AND ie still accounts for about 80% of the markey in total

Is there a way to find the percentages of the browsers from the portals sites? I would like to know what percentages yahoo, msn, google and aol are getting.

It would be cool if all sites revealed what kind of browsers that they were getting. This way you can find a site that has a similar demographic to yours and use that to base your browser support decisions on. Though I do think it is always a good idea to suport as many browsers as possible. The only exception might be if you are making a site that is targeted at a niche area. If i was making a site for Apple news I would not be to concerned about IE.

I am surprised opera is that low, there is no jump in opera stats even when opera moved from paid product to free product.

Also isnt IE7 no longer checking for genuine windows on install?

it's not about whether the developers "SHOULD" stop supporting IE6, it's more about whether the developers "COULD" stop supporting IE6. I have no sympathy for those people who are still using IE6 neither, but when your clients are still using IE6 and you stop supporting it in your website, guess who'll be fired by the boss? will your boss fire his clients, or you?

Currently I'm developing a website for my company, and I have to check it under IE6, IE7 and Firefox, and have to make sure the website supports all of them. It's really frustrating, but then as long as I'm being paid by my boss, I'll have to do it

There are still plenty of businesses that do not use anything but IE6. I am working for one that refuses to deploy IE7 because they have too many homebrew web apps that don't support anything but IE6. Yes, they could update them, but that would cost money and resources. Updating the apps to support IE7 was deemed too low a priority amidst all the budget cuts that have been going around lately.

I would say choosing to not support IE6 is a silly mistake. It's like dropping support for XP or IPv4 because there are replacements available. There are just too many instances of them still in use, you'd just be hurting your site by dropping support.

You know why people still use IE 6? It's because we developers/designers work our asses off fixing everything for IE 6. Since all the sites look "fine," people see no need to upgrade or switch. Maybe we should stop supporting IE 6, to show people what a truly bad browser IE 6 is. Or at least we shouldn't spend time fixing all the little things for IE. Like we could make sites legible, but leave all the gaps and off-pixels. I have a little warning bar at the top of all my personal sites that says:

Harsh action is the only way to get IE 6 dead quickly. Sure, the people will complain and hate for a few months, but most of them will shut up after a little while.

Well, here are the browser stats for one of my sites, kind of scary that a IE3 user popped in for a few seconds

This is ONLY september obviously

You know why we developers/designers work our asses off fixing everything for IE6? it's because we are PAID to do it. Unless you can pay me better than my current boss, I have to support IE6 and make my sites look pixel perfect in IE6. It's a pain considering IE6 doesn't even support basic things like PNG transparency, but it's much more of a pain to be jobless. When your boss and his clients complain even for a second, it's you who will shut up, or get fired immediately.

I know. For all of the sites I get paid for I make sure they're pixel-perfect in IE6. What I meant was to stop fixing for IE6 in personal and non-business related sites. I mean, if Myspace or Facebook dropped IE6 support...