Easiest way to recommend users to upgrade their browser?

Question

There have been a lot of buzz around IE6NoMore campaign.
What's the easiest way to recommend users to upgrade their browser?

Answer 1

If no one supported them anymore then you wouldn't have to write code for them. For a certain percentage of people, they upgrade through necessity, not out of choice. If IE6 keeps working then they will keep using. Dont make the extra effort to support IE6.

Answer 2

Use conditional comments targeting IE. This way other browsers/bots (even when masquerading as IE) won't see it.

Make sure the message is polite and unobtrusive. Focus on benefits of change ("our website is faster and easier to use in up-to-date browsers") rather than negative aspects of IE (otherwise users could interpret this as ridicule of them or anti-Microsoft fanboyism).

Be as non-technical as possible. Average user doesn't know the difference between Internet, browser and search engine (← this video is painful to watch).

Answer 3

You can recommend things to people until you're blue in the face, but the reason people who don't instinctively upgrade their browser actually get around to doing it will always be the same. They do it because there's something they want to use, but can't unless they upgrade.

Want people to quit using an old browser ? Quit supporting it. It's that simple.

Answer 4

The type of people who haven't yet upgraded their browser will almost certainly be people who don't have the technical knowledge to do so; those users who do know what a browser is, does and how to upgrade (and the benefits of upgrading) will most probably have done so. From this you can see how important it is to explain clearly and concisely both the benefits of upgrading and precisely how to do so for those who aren't technically minded.

Answer 5

My personal favorite is with this little bit of JavaScript from ie6update.com.