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IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

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Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#41

Post by kronusaturn »

smackfu wrote: post #33
generalk wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's true, but on the other hand, as TFA points out, IE8 is the latest that a WinXP user can ever get from Microsoft, which is two-years old and practically outdated now. Linking IE6 users to IE8 is progress, sure, but useless given that they could be running Chrome or Firefox, which are actually modern browsers.

And how old is Win XP?

Are you trying to say you think it's more effective to encourage users to buy Windows 7 (and most likely a new computer to support it) than to encourage them to install Firefox or Chrome for free?

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#42

Post by coderdude »

alexyim wrote: post #39
maukdaddy wrote: post #11

Do geeks always need something to bitch about? Microsoft is at least making an effort to do as most people wish, getting users to upgrade from IE6.

I disagree. I think he mentions a really valid point. Getting users to upgrade from IE6 is good thing, but it's even better to upgrade to Firefox or Chrome instead of IE8.

How is that a valid point? In what alternate universe is it a good idea for Microsoft to attempt to convert their users to a non-Microsoft browser (from Microsoft's stand-point)? Even if it's good for the users, it's their users, and it's entirely logical for them to want to keep them.

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#43

Post by MiguelHudnandez »

coderdude wrote: post #40
SwellJoe wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want them to upgrade to a modern browser. IE8 aint one.

IE8 is leaps and bounds better than IE6. In IE8 you barely even need to tweak sites to get them to look right. I'd be tickled pink if IE8 was all I had to worry about. IE9 is going to be much better than IE8 -- by leaps and bounds -- but it's still in beta. At least the release candidate is out. Some people are never satisfied and always need something to complain about. I'm sure you'll find something else once IE9 i…

IE8 is better than IE6, but if someone is going to upgrade their browser, they should upgrade to the best one available. On windows XP, they can't get IE9, but they can get Chrome, Firefox, or Opera.

It'd be like making a trip to a gas station and filling up to half a tank. Because half a tank is better than an empty tank, right? But... while you're going to all that trouble, why not top it off?

Of course this strategy is good for Microsoft, but web designers should be doing what's good for the web.

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#44

Post by SwellJoe »

coderdude wrote: post #40
SwellJoe wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want them to upgrade to a modern browser. IE8 aint one.

IE8 is leaps and bounds better than IE6. In IE8 you barely even need to tweak sites to get them to look right. I'd be tickled pink if IE8 was all I had to worry about. IE9 is going to be much better than IE8 -- by leaps and bounds -- but it's still in beta. At least the release candidate is out. Some people are never satisfied and always need something to complain about. I'm sure you'll find something else once IE9 i…

Somehow the Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera teams manage to provide a modern browser on Windows XP.

This isn't about "finding something to complain about". I want a modern web, and I want Microsoft to get out of the way of that happening.

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#45

Post by rbanffy »

Joeri wrote: post #37
rbanffy wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

False dichotomy alert! Getting rid of Microsoft doesn't imply going to Apple. You must realize that there are other entities in this market, frequently offering better products, often for free. Getting rid of a company that despises fair competition, that promotes bogus standards in order to confuse the market instead of doing something it once did adequately: build products its users want, would be quite good for th…

What market? It's damn hard finding PC's preinstalled with linux (that have normal sized screens), and it's not easy finding compatible devices for those PC's. Sure, nerds always have choice, but for joe sixpack it's microsoft or apple. There is no other choice.

> It's damn hard finding PC's preinstalled with linux

I always wonder why things like these happen...

> and it's not easy finding compatible devices for those PC's.

Funny. Just about everything I plug into my Linux notebooks works flawlessly. Even my non-jailbroken iPod has no problem syncing with it.

The 90's called. They want their excuse back.

> Sure, nerds always have choice,

Sure we do. We, nerds, have choice and we can create choice where there is none. We nerds can jailbreak locked-up tablets, phones and videogames. But we also want to help Joe Sixpack get a better, safer computer, if, for no other reason, to stop the spam zombies.

Actually, we do things like these because we are generous. We want everybody to have cool toys.

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#46

Post by alexyim »

coderdude wrote: post #42
alexyim wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. I think he mentions a really valid point. Getting users to upgrade from IE6 is good thing, but it's even better to upgrade to Firefox or Chrome instead of IE8.

How is that a valid point? In what alternate universe is it a good idea for Microsoft to attempt to convert their users to a non-Microsoft browser (from Microsoft's stand-point)? Even if it's good for the users, it's their users, and it's entirely logical for them to want to keep them.

Ah I see. And I agree with that.

I meant he raises a good point on whether (from a web developer's perspective) you should use this Microsoft banner at all.

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#47

Post by rbanffy »

coderdude wrote: post #40
SwellJoe wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want them to upgrade to a modern browser. IE8 aint one.

IE8 is leaps and bounds better than IE6. In IE8 you barely even need to tweak sites to get them to look right. I'd be tickled pink if IE8 was all I had to worry about. IE9 is going to be much better than IE8 -- by leaps and bounds -- but it's still in beta. At least the release candidate is out. Some people are never satisfied and always need something to complain about. I'm sure you'll find something else once IE9 i…

> IE8 is leaps and bounds better than IE6

A brick is leaps and bounds better than IE6

I learned not to attribute to malice what could be explained by incompetence, but, sadly, incompetence alone cannot explain a company the size of Microsoft being unable to offer a modern standards-compliant browser.

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#48

Post by rbanffy »

coderdude wrote: post #42
alexyim wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. I think he mentions a really valid point. Getting users to upgrade from IE6 is good thing, but it's even better to upgrade to Firefox or Chrome instead of IE8.

How is that a valid point? In what alternate universe is it a good idea for Microsoft to attempt to convert their users to a non-Microsoft browser (from Microsoft's stand-point)? Even if it's good for the users, it's their users, and it's entirely logical for them to want to keep them.

> In what alternate universe is it a good idea for Microsoft to attempt to convert their users to a non-Microsoft browser (from Microsoft's stand-point)?

Exactly.

It's stupid for Microsoft, but everyone else would benefit from no longer having to cope with Internet Explorer. Heck. Even Microsoft would stop spending money developing their browsers and that would certainly improve their bottom line (much like abandoning MeeGo will improve Nokia's). As it is, Microsoft does whatever benefits them, regardless of how much it does hurt everybody else.

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#49

Post by coverband »

With Win7, using Chrome, the site offers IE9 only, not IE8.

I'm quite pleased to be seeing this from MS, no need to be snobby about it and put down IE overall. If it wasn't for the free availability of IE in Windows, we wouldn't be using the web 24 hours of every day.

Re: IE6countdown.com – a wolf in sheep's clothing

#50

Post by coderdude »

SwellJoe wrote: post #44
coderdude wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IE8 is leaps and bounds better than IE6. In IE8 you barely even need to tweak sites to get them to look right. I'd be tickled pink if IE8 was all I had to worry about. IE9 is going to be much better than IE8 -- by leaps and bounds -- but it's still in beta. At least the release candidate is out. Some people are never satisfied and always need something to complain about. I'm sure you'll find something else once IE9 i…

Somehow the Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera teams manage to provide a modern browser on Windows XP. This isn't about "finding something to complain about". I want a modern web, and I want Microsoft to get out of the way of that happening.

I think you're being a bit unreasonable here. IE9 relies on parts of Windows that just don't exist in XP. Windows XP is ancient by software standards. Sure, Chrome et al. work in all operating systems, but you're upset at Microsoft because they don't want to support an operating system that they want people off of already. It's their decision and I'm glad they want people to upgrade. People got mad because users didn't want to get off of Windows 98 because of how dated it had become but fewer people are upset at the "Windows XP is good for a lifetime" crowd.

IE9 is coming and it's much better. When the people holding back on upgrading finally upgrade then you'll have your better Web.

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