YouTube Will Be Next To Kiss IE6 Support Goodbye ("Upgrade to one of these more modern browsers")

[Amerigo Vespucci]

YouTube Will Be Next To Kiss IE6 Support Goodbye

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/14/youtube-will-be-next-to-kiss-ie6-support-goodbye/



Judging by this screenshot taken by an IE6 user who was watching some videos on YouTube, it appears the Google company will be phasing out support for the browser shortly. I don’t have Internet Explorer 6 installed on my computer, so I can’t verify this first hand, but illogical it seems not and a simple Twitter search shows multiple people confirming the news. Heck, some are even downright ecstatic over the news.

The online video behemoth is pointing to ‘modern’ browsers like Google Chrome (twice on the same page even, unsurprisingly), Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox 3.5 as alternatives.

With the impending move, YouTube follows in the footsteps of that other Web 2.0 poster child, Digg, which recently hinted at wanting to cut support for the browser too. Digg’s User Experience Architect Mark Trammell at the time wrote that the site is strongly considering removing essential features like digging and commenting for IE6 users. He explained that while IE6 users make up around 5% of site traffic, it only accounts for 1% of diggs, buries, and comments.

YouTube so far hasn’t officially communicated about the desire to drop support for IE6, but it’s conceivable that like Digg it would rather have its developers spend time optimizing the service for newer, better browsers than wasting man hours on the oft-despised Microsoft browser. We recently reported that Internet Explorer is losing market share to Firefox and Safari at a rapid pace.

[Taverner]

1. Sometimes upgrading is necessary

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. As someone who designs Web Sites for a living...

...I can tell you that I'm damned sick and tired of coding "IE 6 Hacks."

Build something really nice and modern in several hours and add several more hours to the project in order to make it work properly in IE 6.

As long as the Web Design / Tech community caters to web surfers still clinging to IE 6, that will remain the standard way of doing business.

[Taverner]

5. As an IT Analyst let me say that I feel your pain

Seriously...

But Mozilla is always an option, and that browser scales down or up - that's part of the design

[tridim]

7. As a web designer as well, I'll say the exact same thing about FF3.5

It depends on your base development browser preference, the other browser is always the challenge.

FWIW, FF has a huge number of display bugs.

[targetpractice]

10. Fortunately user preferences trump developer preferences. n/t

[Gabi Hayes]

3. I very reluctantly bit the bullet and went to IE8 a few days ago, for just the reason you posted.

IE 7 didn't work well at all for me, and I uninstalled it almost immediately.

don't like 8 as much yet (inconvenient; not used to it yet, maybe)....the windows/tabs thing, and the way sites come up/disappear seemingly arbitrarily is a pain. also adding favorites is worse, cause the favorites aren't alphabetized in the change window anymore. can't tell if it crashes/slows down any more frequently than 6 yet, cause my computer's possibly infected

of course, I guess I could do a little reading up on the new system, but that would take some effort

life is HARD!

I know there are other browsers, but........

[Amerigo Vespucci]

8. There is a program called "Multiple IE"...

...which lets you have the primary IE 7 installation plus IE 6, 5.5, 5, 4, and 3 on the same PC. You don't have to install them all...you pick the ones you want. I went with 6 and 5.5 because if someone out there is still running 5, 4 or 3 and has issues with a site I build, my response is going to be "upgrade your browser."

Because of this arrangement, I haven't installed IE 8. Microsoft attempted to "force feed" it to me as an "automatic update" for Windows XP. Even though I never use IE 7 for personal browsing...only Web Site testing...I can't let an IE 8 installation take the program away.

[Gabi Hayes]

14. thanks....and that's exactly why I ended up doing the 'upgrade'

The incessant notices wore me down, as did the free upgrade Norton crap, which is what screwed up my computer: my emails disappear from Outlook express after I open them, then close OE. when I reopen, they're gone. if I copy them to another folder, they don't disappear, though

I've asked around....started a thread here, even, but nobody knew what was what. I called Norton, as well as my ISP, but they both said it was Microsoft, and said to call them. HA. I know it had to do w/the Norton, cause the install screwed up badly (no coverage at all after install), and the Norton tech took over my computer to fix it. that's when the problem started.

I haven't emailed anybody since, cause I'm afraid something bad is happening. waiting for the other shoe to drop....

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. My computer was working perfectly until I read your post !!!

thought I heard a faint "thud" just before it acted up.

[tridim]

4. IE6 is compatable with Flash, and that's all Youtube is.

There has to be some other reason they're phasing out IE6.. Maybe it's just so they can get their users to download Google Chrome? $$$.

Not that it really matters, there's no reason not to upgrade from IE6.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

6. I've got to believe that a big part of it is promoting Google Chrome...

...which, until it has the same plug-in / add-on capabilities as Firefox, will remain "the browser I never use."

[targetpractice]

12. An FYI... Chrome and Safari are both based upon WebKit...

... WebKit is an open-source rendering engine, and both Chrome and Safari should render sites in exactly the same way.

[targetpractice]

9. If you value a modern web experience you'll upgrade...

As a product manager... I can assure you, that catering the diminishing IE6 user population dramatically limits what can be done as far as user experience. Product developers that want to create state-of-the-art user experience and support IE6 face significant added development expenses just to support that old browser.

Thankfully, product managers are realizing that IE6 support is no longer worth the effort because the holdout IE6 user-population is not spending money anyways.

[TrogL]

11. Facebook's saying the same thing

[BlooInBloo]

13. About time.

[mwooldri]

16. If they hurry up and update IE6 here at work that'll be nice...

only problem is this company isn't any small fly-by-night operation... it's a company listed as part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Otherwise I'm on the Firefox at home... only fire up IE for those sites that absolutely demand it, like AT&T if you want to order service through them.

Mark.

[jake_ie8team]

17. IE 8

If you want to update to IE 8 in order to keep watching videos on YouTube you should download IE 8 from http://www.browserforthebetter.com?ocid=ie8_sm_a and donate to charity in the process. 8 meals are donated to Feeding America for every complete download and installation of IE 8 from http://www.browserforthebetter.com?ocid=ie8_sm_a through AUgust 8th, 2009. So download and spread the word! If you need another reason to get IE 8, you can read about it's new and improved nifty features at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/features/faster.aspx

- Jake

MSFT Internet Explorer Outreach Team

[lukasahero]

18. Excellent to know - and welcome to DU!

:hi: