YouTube to drop support for IE6 on March 13

Rik · Feb 24, 2010, 10:49:48

El Reg reports that:

QuoteGoogle will remove IE6-support from YouTube on March 13, according to a web post from the company.

In a post to the YouTube help pages, the Mountain View Chocolate Factory indicates that when visiting YouTube, netizens using an "old web browser" are now seeing an interstitial warning that they will soon have to upgrade if they want to take advantage of new features on the site..

"On March 13, we are dropping support for your browser. You'll still be able to watch videos after that date, but new features may not work properly," the screen reads, before pointing users to the latest versions of the five major browsers: Google Chrome 4, Opera 10, Internet Explorer 8, Safari 4, and Firefox 3.6.

Glenn · Feb 24, 2010, 10:59:27

I can foresee lots of complaints here at work

Rik · Feb 24, 2010, 11:07:44

Think of the bandwidth which will be saved.

Den · Feb 24, 2010, 11:09:27

I would still drive around in my old Austin A40 Somerset if I could but there comes at time when we have to move on. What is wrong with people not upgrading to later versions, I would bet they are not using Windows 95.

Rik · Feb 24, 2010, 11:10:58

In the main, Den, it will be businesses that are running bespoke software based on IE6.

Glenn · Feb 24, 2010, 11:11:28

It businesses seeing no obvious benefit, from spend large amounts of money on new software packages, that holds them back.

john · Feb 24, 2010, 12:26:30

We have a lot of Web applications at work and IE 6. To upgrade to a later version of IE would involve a lot of work in both testing and documenting the tests. Consequently we tend to omit versions of OS's and browsers. I think we'll probably move to IE 8 before long though unless IE 9 is released before we're ready to do the testing.

psp83 · Feb 24, 2010, 15:21:47

All I can say is!

DIE IE6!!!!!!!!

Ok, I'm calm now!

Glenn · Feb 24, 2010, 15:23:44

4 more years of MS support left on it yet.

psp83 · Feb 24, 2010, 15:27:54

Quote from: Glenn on Feb 24, 2010, 15:23:44
4 more years of MS support left on it yet.

Rik · Feb 24, 2010, 15:46:55

I think a lack of YouTube support may be far more effective in moving people than any amount of MS support.

psp83 · Feb 24, 2010, 16:03:25

With google dropping IE6 support from march, I'm hoping more will jump on the bandwagon..

If us developers didn't have to worry about that cr*p browser, Time would be saved. At the moment everything has to be double checked for IE6.

I don't support IE6 myself but if a client asks for support in that browser then I have to! When IE9 comes out (this year?) there will be 4 IE browsers to support.. 3 to many if you ask me! Soon or later I will be spending at least a weeks working time doing browser checks & fixes!

Rik · Feb 24, 2010, 16:04:46

I know, it's crazy isn't it, Paul?

D-Dan · Feb 24, 2010, 20:38:32

IE6? Is that like an alternative to Firefox 1.5?

Steve

Lance · Feb 24, 2010, 23:17:24

I hate IE6 - even this forum needs custom coding for it.

Sebby · Feb 28, 2010, 18:51:16

Quote from: Den on Feb 24, 2010, 11:09:27
I would still drive around in my old Austin A40 Somerset if I could but there comes at time when we have to move on. What is wrong with people not upgrading to later versions, I would bet they are not using Windows 95.

I have to agree. There are reasons businesses are still using IE6, but they can be overcome with a bit of money being spent.

Glenn · Feb 28, 2010, 18:59:24

Who ends up paying for it though?

A mid/large company may have 150 or more applications that it uses, each will need testing with IE8 or whatever browser they choose to use. If the current application fails to work with the new browser, then the latest package, if available will need to be purchased, packaged and tested. It can easily cost £50,00 -100,000 per package, for a company employing around 3 - 5000 people, as licences will need to be brought too.

zappaDPJ · Mar 04, 2010, 17:42:39

Vendor's supporting IE6 when coding new applications is really starting to bug me now. It often means uses of IE8 have to hit compatibility mode when viewing sites created with their software. It's bad enough that no variants of IE support WebKit but having to hit compatibility mode in order to get some semblance of what the coders intended you to see is starting to really wind me up.

Rik · Mar 04, 2010, 17:49:35

Don't let it get to you, Zap, save your energy for the big fights.

Glenn · Mar 05, 2010, 19:30:31

IE6 is still in use by 19% of users. http://marketshare.hitslink.com/browser-market-share.aspx?qprid=2

Rik · Mar 06, 2010, 10:47:08

Which is quite a high percentage, given its age.

Niall · Mar 06, 2010, 12:19:41

That should generate some revenue from colleges upgrading to new M$ packages

psp83 · Mar 06, 2010, 17:28:55

Well microsoft has ended IE6 support now.

http://www.neowin.net/news/internet-explorer-6-funeral-held-microsoft-sends-flowers

Rik · Mar 06, 2010, 17:32:23

I wonder if that will force firms to make the move?

Glenn · Mar 06, 2010, 17:36:06

Quote"We want to give thanks to Internet Explorer 6 for its service for nearly a decade," one of Microsoft's IE6 mourners tells The Reg. "Internet Explorer 6 was built for a different world, a different time. While some customers may grieve the loss of Internet Explorer 6, we will continue to support it in its afterlife as we promised to do."

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/05/microsoft_sends_flowers_to_ie6_funeral/

psp83 · Mar 06, 2010, 23:05:53

Quote from: Glenn on Mar 06, 2010, 17:36:06
"We want to give thanks to Internet Explorer 6 for its service for nearly a decade," one of Microsoft's IE6 mourners tells The Reg. "Internet Explorer 6 was built for a different world, a different time. While some customers may grieve the loss of Internet Explorer 6, we will continue to support it in its afterlife as we promised to do."

I think firms will end up moving away if microsoft stops the security updates.

QuoteInternet Explorer 6 was built for a different world

Well they are correct there.. a world that doesn't know web standards!!