Long story short: WineAdds.com now supports Internet Explorer 6 (IE6). W00t!
Until recently users who tried to come to WineAdds using IE6 were greeted with a page saying they’re browser wasn’t compatible, with some helpful suggestions for upgrading.
Why?
Well, IE6 presents a number of issues (problems) to modern web applications. From a purely aesthetic point of view, it renders HTML differently than almost every other browser out there, and not just colors or fonts not quite looking right. The way IE6 (mis)interprets HTML can make a well-designed page look completely different than it was intended.
As a result web designers must cater to IE6 by having specific stylesheets, javascript and sometimes IE6-specific HTML markup… lots of work to accomplish something that just works with just about every other browser out there.
But, there is a considerable portion of the public (24% as of writing) still using IE6, so ignoring it isn’t a long-term solution. And, I suspect, the majority of people still using IE6 are not necessarily AARP members but people who work for large companies whose IT departments have mandated that IE6 be the standard browser.
Who cares?
If you’re using IE6, you should care! Not only is it slower than modern browsers, but it is clumsy to use and has serious security issues.
If you find yourself using IE6, and have the choice to upgrade, take a look at the other options and see for yourself. If you don’t have the choice, then submit a request to your company’s IT department asking them permission to upgrade to a secure, standards-compliant browser.
¡Viva la revolución!