Target: Internet Explorer 6
Calling all Internet users, we need your help destroying 10-year old technology! What is that technology you ask? It’s Internet Explorer 6 (IE6), of course.
Even Microsoft is on the bandwagon.
Its name was Internet Explorer 6. Now that we’re in 2011, in an era of modern web standards, it’s time to say goodbye.
They’ve setup the Internet Explorer 6 Countdown web site to help educate people on how and why this battle needs to be won.
Here in Canada, as of September 30, 2011, the IE6 user base has dropped to 2%. That sounds small, but with over 26 million users that means there are more than 500,000 people using this ancient tech, some possibly being your target market.
How do we combat this plague? There are a few ways:
- Time, just wait for these old computers running Windows XP and IE6 to die.
- Education, let people know that IE6 is old (anyone remember cell phones from 2001?).
- Lack of support, the more web sites that do not support IE6 the more reasons users will see the need to upgrade.
We’re starting to see quite large drops in IE6 users, thanks to companies like Google who have stopped supporting it. Lack of support is key, but requires the proper education of your users or they will end up lost.