More Bad News For IE6
By skysuccess
@skysuccess (8857)
Singapore
February 9, 2010 8:25am CST
Earlier on, I posted about a vulnerability flaw on Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.
I'd just like to add another bad news here and this is especially for users of the IE6 browser which I hope that you are not one of them.
Official announcement from Google that effective March 1, 2010, Google will no longer support IE6 browser for Google Docs and Sites.
Google says it is "going to begin phasing out our support, starting with Google Docs and Google Sites on March 1st". After this date, "newer features may not be available and some features may even stop working".
Last July, according to reports, Google's YouTube started giving IE6 users a message to say that: "We will be phasing out support for your browser soon. Please upgrade to one of these modern browsers."
Google suggests users upgrade to Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0, Mozilla Firefox 3.0, Google Chrome 4.0 or Safari 3.0 or, in all cases, later versions of these browsers. However, the list omits the Opera browser which I do not know the reason for it being left out.
FYI, the latest version for IE is IE8 now which is bundled with the Windows Vista and 7, and although Microsoft has been working round the clock to encourage IE6 users to upgrade to IE7 or IE8- it is noted that the response has been lukewarm.
It's only by installing IE7 or IE8 that Windows users replace the IE6 code in their operating system. Simply using a different browser, such as Firefox or Chrome, does not do this.
So, I would advise that those of you with IE6 to upgrade to IE7 or IE8 before Microsoft completely discontinue its support for Windows XP with the bundled IE6 browser.
Microsoft will therefore continue to support IE6 until 8 April, 2014, when it stops supporting Windows XP.
Have a nice day.
Ref: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/feb/01/google-docs-dropping-ie6-support
2 people like this
4 responses
@allknowing (153530)
• India
10 Feb 10
Microsoft had themselves made an announcement of the vulnerability of IE6 and I had put that up for discussion. I have switched over to Opera although many say Firefox is the best browser around. I am contemplating on downloading Firefox soon.
1 person likes this
@rosdimy (3926)
• Malaysia
10 Feb 10
'The best browser around' tag depends on more than one factor. I have been using Opera since version 5. At one point Firefox became my default browser, but after they issued version 3, I changed back to Opera as my default browser.
One small problem is there are a few websites which are not fully optimised for Opera. This does not bother me because Opera has changed a lot. Maybe if it had been free from the beginning it would have captured a bigger market share.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153530)
• India
10 Feb 10
That browsers having their own favourites I suppose is acceptable. But if on the whole if a browser delivers the goods to the consumer vis-a-vis his/her needs that should decide the choice. I did get some advice though on face book that firefox does a better job of uploading images. I am confused!
1 person likes this
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
10 Feb 10
I use Internet Explorer 8 myself and it's absolutely fantastic, I've had no problems with it. I guess outdated software will be replaced and dropped and that sounds like the case with IE6. I wouldn't use any other browser in any case. Andrew
1 person likes this
@skysuccess (8857)
• Singapore
10 Feb 10
AndreFreyne,
I feel that MS could have done better with all these upgrading of OS especially for old OS users where there should be a smoother migration process.
MS should not just discontinue without solutions for existing old OS users and I suppose this lack on their part has been perceived as some form of high handed treatment by MS.
As such, this is also the reason for their unpopularity and targets for hackers around the world on all their apps and programs.
I am hoping that they will do a better job with the discontinuation of XP and its bundled IE6 which is having too much vulnerabilities to continue.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
9 Feb 10
I use IE7. I dont waqnt to upgrade to IE 8 as it has problems. Mostly these problems occur with internet workers using downloaded programs.
Does this mean Microsoft will not support any XP users after April?
I dont know why they left Opera out either. My daughter uses it on her laptop for some programs.
This discussion was very useful. Thanks.
@pandaeyes (2065)
•
9 Feb 10
I find it very unfair that a company can just decide not to support their own software anymore.
There must still be plenty of people using the older browser on slower computers.
That is why I only ever use Firefox and opera browsers.
Now I am on Linux which fortunately doesn't have internet explorer of any kind.
You can have your firewall set to not allow internet explorer to open any pages online which I think helps.
