“But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
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“But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
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Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#2> How many of us actually charge 30-100% extra for this work? I haven’t heard of many who do.
Actually I see the exact opposite around me: developers billing by the hour and warning that IE 6 (or later) will generate extra work (and costs money).
Most people I know just have a look at their site stats and see what is worth it.
Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#3Perhaps I am naive but this conversation seems easy to resolve with just a few words. Can anyone tell me how a client would respond to this:
You can have a site with newer, nicer features, or you can have a site that supports older browsers. If you want both then you are commissioning two distinct websites. If you want usage statistics for old browsers I have them, and if you want to be economical I can produce the second website for older browsers at a reduced cost with reduced flair, after all only X% of people would see that site and it would still look reasonable, just not amazing. What would you like to do?
Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#4This article is great, but it works on the premise that IE6 support is a purely rational discussion by two knowledgeable parties before a contract is signed.
--
In reality, you may develop a website, then the client is visiting their uncle bob one weekend who has an old computer with IE6 lying around, client + uncle bob open up the website to have a look, and it is "broken".
Client then sends you a hate mail about broken contracts.
You reply saying that you discussed IE6 lameness before you started the work.
Client says you were talking jargon, client didn't understand, and you need to fix their website so it loads on their uncle bob's computer otherwise they are suing you for not delivering a working website.
Good luck with that :)
Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#5If we choose to make a website pixel-perfect in Internet Explorer 6 to 8, then we are doing up to 100% more work.
Every clients/users should check this once : http://www.ie6countdown.com
Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#6I'm a web developer, whenever a client asks me about IE6 support, i enthusiastically tell them i'll happily support it. I then show them usage statistics for IE6 and tell them IE6 support costs a flat fee of £10,000 and let them think about it. No client has ever taken very long to decide its not worth it and none have ever taken me up on it, although i'm sure 1 or 2 have asked a different developer to make them an IE6 version, but thats fine with me.
Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#7If any client demands IE6.0 support then I demand 100% more. the reason is not just that involves near 100% more work but also the skills required to do that job will be worthless in future.
Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#8This article is great, but it works on the premise that IE6 support is a purely rational discussion by two knowledgeable parties before a contract is signed. -- In reality, you may develop a website, then the client is visiting their uncle bob one weekend who has an old computer with IE6 lying around, client + uncle bob open up the website to have a look, and it is "broken". Client then sends you a hate mail about br…
As long as the contract clearly mentions that you are not supporting IE6 I wont mind client suing me.
Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#9Perhaps I am naive but this conversation seems easy to resolve with just a few words. Can anyone tell me how a client would respond to this: You can have a site with newer, nicer features, or you can have a site that supports older browsers. If you want both then you are commissioning two distinct websites. If you want usage statistics for old browsers I have them, and if you want to be economical I can produce the s…
This point of view stands so long as the client hasn't heard something else from another vendor. New clients (the ones you'd have to explain this to) are often trying to avoid Caveat emptor situations. These IE development conversations are rarely one-way, regardless of how you sell it.
Re: “But The Client Wants IE 6 Support”
#10The article mentioned "graceful degradation" but what is really described should coming from the the other direction as "progressive enhancement". As the author mentions, only enable each version of scripts and styles to browsers that support them. For those that don't, the content remains.
Here's an old article that gets the message across in a client-friendly way: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/understandingprogressivee...