Browser market share in business

[Sysman]

Yes, but IE9/10 require Vista/W7/W8 and many businesses are even slower upgrading from XP than IE6... with far better reason.

You are right. The XP thing is a big factor. What I am also seeing crop up are regular queries from IE9 users to which the answer is "Switch on compatibility mode".

MS have got themselves in a bit of a pickle here, reap what you sow and all that.

[minestrone]

I am on IE6 just now and I am sure it will still be here in 5 years time.

[d000hg]

Yes, but IE9/10 require Vista/W7/W8 and many businesses are even slower upgrading from XP than IE6... with far better reason.

[SueEllen]

Client CO still on IE6 - major pain. No plans to change as roll out process for IE8 is taking a very long time (regression test / fix existing apps).

By the time they roll out IE8 working websites/apps they wil need to be on IE10, which won't be all feature compatible with IE8.

[d000hg]

A site that doesn't need CSS? And Google's site certainly uses all kinds of extra bits and bobs.

Of more interest is that Google and Worpress to name two, are about to cease supporting IE7. So hence my question - is this a problem or would people who did upgrade 6->7 also upgrade 7-> leaving an island of IE6 users but not many IE7 users?

[PAH]

Don't click on that site. She'll visit again.

Everyone deserves a summer holiday.

[eek]

Though maybe don't go as far as Ling's Cars.

Don't click on that site. She'll visit again.

[PAH]

Maybe try designing a site that doesn't rely on any browser specifics, or add-ons such as javascript, jquery, ajax.

It's piss easy when you place more importance on content than design. See Google, Amazon, and many other successful yet simple sites for examples.

Though maybe don't go as far as Ling's Cars.

[Bunk]

There are loads of sites that report browser stats but often they use their own site to measure them. If it's a techy site then obviously there's going to be a lower than average proportion of users on IE. The only useful stats are for your own site. Cater for your own customers, not other peoples.

[Coalman]

Client CO still on IE6 - major pain. No plans to change as roll out process for IE8 is taking a very long time (regression test / fix existing apps).

Going live next month with new system that will not work in IE6 so had to get Firefox installed on locked down. That's been a long and sorry process!

[mudskipper]

I think it depends whether you're global. US and UK have < 3% share of IE6, but in China and India it's still around 10%, which boosts the total usage figure.

One of previous client's sites was reporting about 9% IE6 usage - but found out later that all their staff were still on IE6 so skewing the result.

IE6 is a PITA. Sooner we can forget it, the better.

[eek]

There are/were lots of sites developed for IE6 'peculiarities' that mean sites or web apps need redeveloping to work with newer versions. Not sure if the government (probably the biggest instigator of 'must have IE6') have managed to move on yet.

So you're probably right in that if you are worried about older versions of IE then you'll see IE6 as a problem.

At some point companies will have to bite the bullet, fix their broken websites, and say they are no longer supporting a well out of date and bug-ridden version of IE. Force their customers to upgrade or sod off.

There are large companies where for 10 years applications have been written for IE6 catering for its peculiarities. These are taking an awful long time to fix and test so IE6 will be around for as while yet (especially as a big bang replacement of ie6 would be impossible).

[PAH]

There are/were lots of sites developed for IE6 'peculiarities' that mean sites or web apps need redeveloping to work with newer versions. Not sure if the government (probably the biggest instigator of 'must have IE6') have managed to move on yet.

So you're probably right in that if you are worried about older versions of IE then you'll see IE6 as a problem.

At some point companies will have to bite the bullet, fix their broken websites, and say they are no longer supporting a well out of date and bug-ridden version of IE. Force their customers to upgrade or sod off.

[d000hg]

Does anyone report this data? It's all great knowing Ie6/7 has small share in the home market but what about corporate?

A side question - is it reasonable to suggest that while IE6 might still have a significant user-base, those who upgraded to IE7 will also probably have upgraded to IE8... i.e. we'll see peaks for 6 & 8 and a dip for 7?