Why don't people just stop developing sites to cater to IE6?

Question

I don't understand why developers continue to program things to accommodate IE6. People should update the browser they use, right?

I've already seen many firms completely stop developing for IE6, with a big article on their front page stating their update recommendations.

What are your reasons to continue developing for this buggy old dinosaur? If you say you must for your work, state why your organization continues to develop for IE6.

Of course, a community wiki, just because I'd like to see some reasons (if any).

Answer 1

Because many have customers who would never update their browsers. As to why, it is a much better question than this one.

Answer 2

Large corporate base of users who still have it installed because it works with legacy software they run...

Answer 3

Big companies developed web apps that run strictly on IE6. So rather than spend millions to update these apps, they would rather just keep on trucking with a non updated browser.

That's what I've always heard.

Answer 4

I develop sites for the general public. If 15% of them are still using IE6, I have to decide whether my site not working is enough to get them to upgrade their browser, or if they'll just not use my site.

I usually decide that the user won't upgrade, so I support IE6.

Some people are not in control of their browser version, and cannot upgrade it. For example, locked down PCs at work.

Answer 5

Our main reason is because the customers demand that we support it. The customer is always right... right? Also, I've seen IT departments still using IE6 because they rely on older apps that work with IE6.

Not to say that IE6 will stick forever, most places are slowly upgrading. Real IT people use firefox anyways.

Answer 6

One word Corporations, they have IE6 as their GO-TO browser, only now are they SLOWLYYY transitioning into IE8 (most skipped IE7).

I can clearly say, for my company (5000+ employees, located in over 15 counties), that they are just NOW getting IE8 setup for users, I have been a 'beta' tested internally for my company for months now :P

Answer 7

We develop for IE6 because it specifically says in our contract that we only have to deliver code that works on it.

It sucks in many ways, as it's a terrible browser and it forces users of the system to stay with it, but...

Testing is easier, if it works in IE6 it works!

Answer 8

Because the users pay my bills.

I've worked in systems where 75% of them used this browser. It sucks? Yes. But as every job, you have to address these issues.

If you can afford to lose 75% of your users, good luck.

Answer 9

"People should update the browser they use, right?"

Right, they should. But they don't.

Answer 10

IE6 support by MS is still not officially EOL. Mid of 2010 it will (half July if I recall correctly). Then we can all safely stop developing for IE6 and we have then also a strong enough argument for the customer.

Though, since IE8 came out I already don't do any pixel-precise layout fixes/alignments for IE6 anymore. Too much effort. I only fix the hasLayout/boxmodel bugs and some minor CSS inheritance issues which may affect functionality.

Answer 11

I try to make our web applications simple, testing on IE7, and hope that it still works on IE6. Sometimes I get complaints from our customers (which is both end user and provider, since it is internal intranet application) that it does not work on IE6 and I tear my hair off and try to fix it as best I can. I also ask our on site support person why they don't upgrade, but I get no good answer other than "company policy". Even though we know it's a bad policy...

Answer 12

Its got nothing to do with how old the browser is, we still develop for it because the user useage (From Analytics) ranges from 30-40%. So to stop using it would be like saying "dont buy our products" to 30-40% of potential clients.Hardly a good move.

Its not that hard to develop for IE6 and make a site work, it just takes a bit of extra time. I've actually picked up contracts from companies who have been to development houses and have been told we dont test IE6.

When customers stop using i'll stop developing, and they will only stop using when i stop developing which will only happen when they stop using....etc etc

I also look at it like taking a 10 year old car into the petrol station and them saying "Sorry, your car's too old for this fuel" - Yes they offer new fuels, but still support the old, much the same in web-dev.

Answer 13

I dont....

E V E R !

Answer 14

We have to. The client want to be all browser compatible. For myself, I never and I will never develop a website for IE6.

Answer 15

Also, i'm pretty sure my grandma has no idea that she even uses IE6, much less needs to upgrade for the sake of web standards and keeping up with the times. i'm also guessing that my grandma isnt alone in this.

Not that she shouldnt update, i just know that if any updating were to happen it would either have to be insanely simple or i would have to do it for her.

Answer 16

Most of the big corporate clients we develop software for all run IE6 as their company browser. They simply refuse to reinvest the money in developing for another browser platform when their current software is working fine. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it philosophy)

I don't like it, but the client is king...

G

Answer 17

IE6 when it came out looong back was a good piece of technology. It had left such great impressions that it became the default on windows systems.

Many non-tech folks are still uncomfortable moving out of IE6. Though, the time has come with MS themselves pushing to move IE6 out of the market.

Hopefully, in coming year or so, we wouldn't have to write for IE6 specifically..

Still in general, it would help a great deal if all browsers agreed to one particular standard of html/css/js atleast.

Answer 18

You're right. People should upgrade their browser.

But experience and time tells us that just because the users should do something, that doesn't necessarily mean they are going to do something.

We still need to cater to these people and this browser because it is still so widely used - because it is necessary to get our products out there to the users, no matter what browser they're using.

Ultimately, though - it's your decision.

Answer 19

Easy answer: because of statistics. About 20% of people visiting our webpages are still using IE6. Our policy is to optimize our webpages for browsers that have at least 5% share in our metrics.

Our company will mass-migrate to Firefox very soon, so at least our intranet webbies will be optimized just for it :)

We are currently developing an intranet tool and we still require to optimize it for IE6, even if whole company will be using Firefox in few months. Now, how stupid is that? :p