Ways to compensate for IPB 3.x not fully supporting IE6

[Strike X]

IE6 is still very high in Developing countries such as India and Pakistan, majority of users have a dial up connection and it is very hard for them to download IE7.

[Amy T]

[quote name='bfarber' date='09 March 2009 - 08:20 AM' timestamp='1236608452' post='1789547']
1) You can assign a stylesheet using special comments in templates that IE reads



2) IPB3 supports assigning a skin to a user based on their user agent already. No need for a modification or anything there.

3) IPB3's user agent support is greatly enhanced - IPB already stores the browser properties (so the detection part is done).

Yes thats how ocportal does it.

So you can stop talking about it and do it.
;)

<!--[if lt IE 7]>

include ie6 stylesheet here

<![endif]-->

[Guest]

I don't think asking like that is going to help your case, Amy.

Besides, it's been stated repeatedly that something will be done pre-final, I'm sure IPS are more than capable of providing an appropriate solution. :)

[bfarber]

[quote name='Shahid-Hussain' date='09 March 2009 - 11:08 AM' timestamp='1236614926' post='1789563']
IE6 is still very high in Developing countries such as India and Pakistan, majority of users have a dial up connection and it is very hard for them to download IE7.


We also can't develop our software solely around the capabilities of developing countries. While we try to cater to as many people as possible, the fact is that most of our customers are from countries where the ability to download IE7 is not an issue.

I still remember downloading Win XP SP1 over dialup - it can be done if someone has the desire. ;)

[Amy T]

Dial up is slowly being Phased out where I live and I live in a very small town where you see a lot of cow and corn. ;)

[marcus0263]

Yeah it's time to start phasing out IE6, honestly use FireFox ;) Anyway I still get an average of a bit over 15% IE6 hit's, but yes it's time to move on. Those who are using IE6 can just upgrade and use FireFox, no real big deal .....

[Fast Lane!]

[quote name='marcus0263' date='15 March 2009 - 04:40 PM' timestamp='1237131603' post='1790638']
Those who are using IE6 can just upgrade and use FireFox, no real big deal .....


Unless that 15% is on a work PC or other IT controlled PC where they can not.

[sunrisecc]

So true, unfortunately.

[bfarber]

What's going to force the IT departments to upgrade however? If web developers continuing working overtime to try to make these fancy new apps work on IE6, IT department has no incentive to ever upgrade their browser status.

Unfortunately, it's going to take a push from everywhere....but it seems like everyone doesn't want to be "the first" (and we're hardly the first...)

[Rob - Top Web Designs]

[quote name='Fast Lane!' date='05 March 2009 - 08:59 PM' timestamp='1236286770' post='1788955']
That solution bothers me though. That is like telling me that 23% of my members will get a lower quality version of my site. They will also not get the same user experience as other people (which from a branding perspective is bad). Additionally it increases my workload supporting two skins and tech support for people on both. Also the "bare skin" would probably not work as the primary skin for me as I have to "integrate" it with the main website skin which then takes away the purpose of it being the "light" skin.

I think you're looking at this from completely the wrong perspective.

It's not a case of 23% of your customers getting a lower quality experience, it's about 77% of your customers getting a better quality experience. If the new features worked in IE6, they would be used in IE6. They don't, so IE6 doesn't have them. If you make the entire site 100% IE6 compatible, you'd be hurting 77% of your customers who would no longer be able to do things that they would otherwise be able to do.

I don't really see the logic in you saying 23% of your members are getting a lower quality version of the site. They will get that version of the site, whatever. Taking out anything that's not possible in IE6 would make no difference for those people.

[Strike X]

[quote name='bfarber' date='16 March 2009 - 10:46 AM' timestamp='1237200365' post='1790765']
What's going to force the IT departments to upgrade however? If web developers continuing working overtime to try to make these fancy new apps work on IE6, IT department has no incentive to ever upgrade their browser status.

Unfortunately, it's going to take a push from everywhere....but it seems like everyone doesn't want to be "the first" (and we're hardly the first...)


Many university here (in the UK) is still using IE6 on the network, it cant be upgraded (locked).

[Connor T]

My work uses IE6 my school uses IE6.

Who controls that? I'm calling them.

[Twisted Gamer]

I haven't read through the entire thread but I haven't seen this mentioned.

Google's Code contest produced this fairly simple script.

You can allow users to continue to use your site or you can edit the JS file and remove the bypass from the popup forcing them to upgrade or switch to another browser like Fire Fox or Opera to view your forums.

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/20/web-developers-help-rid-the-world-of-ie6-with-a-simple-script/

http://code.google.com/p/sevenup/

[Twisted Gamer]

[quote name='Amy T' date='09 March 2009 - 10:36 AM' timestamp='1236620179' post='1789595']
Dial up is slowly being Phased out where I live and I live in a very small town where you see a lot of cow and corn. ;)

Lucky for you then.

It's a different story for quite a few other places in the world.

[The Pi]

A few things:
1) If IPB3 phases out IE6 from it's code, and most webmasters upgrade (especially big networks with tons of visitors), that's the main push needed to end the IE6 horror

2) A bit earlier, I saw the argument of people not bothering to upgrade since they don't have the time. All you need to do it put up a big red banner with the words: WARNING: This site will be phasing out support for Internet Explorer 6. If you continue to use it, some features of this site will stop working. You may upgrade to the latest version of Internet Explorer HERE and include this link: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/worldwide-sites.aspx. Web users that haven't been smart enough to go to IE7 will think it's really important, and immediately upgrade :shifty:

[ThornKRT]

[quote name='Amy T' date='09 March 2009 - 01:36 PM' timestamp='1236620179' post='1789595']
Dial up is slowly being Phased out where I live and I live in a very small town where you see a lot of cow and corn. ;)

well your very lucky because where I live your only option besides dial up for an internet connection is satellite internet which is very expensive (I pay $80 a month for a 12GB download an 3GB upload bandwidth limit with the fastest speed of 150KBs reached) so for most people there in area's like mine your stuck with dial up or nothing because unless your very desperate $80 a month is to much $ to pay for internet (ADSL service stops roughly 5 miles from my house)

[sound]

uk based non tech forum
just checked my ipb session table
20% using ie6
as daytime here - imagine that a high % of them are at workplaces and can't update

certainly a cause for concern

[Bono]

This is stats from one tech site, week stats number of users using IE 4,5 milion.
Using IE 8 > 48.40%
Using IE 7 > 34,45%
Using IE 6 > 16.52%

And in global IE takes 32% of all visits. Users that cannot upgrade IE at work can easily switch to other browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome or Safari.

I'm with IPB staff it's time to unsupport IE6, support for IE7 and 8 is enough.

And just to show you how advanced users of other browsers are: also weeks stats 6.2 milion of Firefox users.

76% Firefox 3.0.11
8% Firefox 3.5 beta
8% Firefox 3.0.10

So if users of other browsers see no problem in upgrading I don't see why would anyone need to support IE6 which needs bunch of code to support it properly.
Whats next we will in code see this?

// IE 6
..
..
// IE 7
..
..
// IE 8
..
..
// IE 9
..
..

[sound]

[quote name='Bono' date='22 June 2009 - 01:25 PM' timestamp='1245673512' post='1812403']
This is stats from one tech site, week stats number of users using IE 4,500 milion.
Using IE 8 > 48.40%
Using IE 7 > 34,45%
Using IE 6 > 16.52%

And in global IE takes 32% of all visits. Users that cannot upgrade IE at work can easily switch to other browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome or Safari.

I'm with IPB staff it's time to unsupport IE6, support for IE7 and 8 is enough.


is there an offical ipb statement on this anywhere ?
have read past posts that there will be a ie6 skin with final, is that still the case ?

while can fully understand the arguments for dropping ie6
sure you can understand with my ie6 sessions at 20%, why it is a cause for concern

[Bono]

[quote name='fanta' date='22 June 2009 - 02:39 PM' timestamp='1245674347' post='1812407']
is there an offical ipb statement on this anywhere ?
have read past posts that there will be a ie6 skin with final, is that still the case ?

while can fully understand the arguments for dropping ie6
sure you can understand with my ie6 sessions at 20%, why it is a cause for concern


They said it will be supported, maybe not anything but most functions.
If you can check my stats I also have ~20% of users using IE 6 from total IE users, but I will set announcement that they have to migrate to newer version of IE or other browser and problem fixed.

I would like to totally eliminate IE6, because when I fix my template I need to spend additional day or even week to fix all bugs in IE 6.

[sound]

[quote name='Bono' date='22 June 2009 - 02:03 PM' timestamp='1245675839' post='1812411']
They said it will be supported, maybe not anything but most functions.
If you can check my stats I also have ~20% of users using IE 6 from total IE users, but I will set announcement that they have to migrate to newer version of IE or other browser and problem fixed.

I would like to totally eliminate IE6, because when I fix my template I need to spend additional day or even week to fix all bugs in IE 6.


if there's going to be a ie6 skin reduced functionality with the final then that makes it less of a concern
can anyone fronm ipb confirm this, or point me to a fresher thread as most of the staff posts in this thread are from a few months ago


thanks

[sunrisecc]

[quote name='Bono' date='22 June 2009 - 08:25 AM' timestamp='1245673512' post='1812403']
Users that cannot upgrade IE at work can easily switch to other browsers: Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome or Safari.



While I agree with you about IE6 etc, the statement I quoted above is unrealistic in the business world of today.

There are too many corporations who do not allow their employees to download any new software. One of my clients (in the entertainment and sports business) still forces their employees to use FF2 or IE7 only. Even the IT department cannot use any other browsers for testing purposes. Wider monitors - forget it. The standards were set in early 2007 and will remain for a while longer.

Do not take this that I am defending the corporate world. I am just a realist who sees first-hand on a daily basis that 'keeping current' has a different meaning in the corporate world.

[Bain]

Personally I am not worried about those who use outdated browsers. Get with the program & upgrade!
I know people who are still using 12 year old computers and they wonder why everything runs so slow...ahhhhh!

[Jaggi]

[quote name='Fast Lane!' date='05 March 2009 - 09:48 PM' timestamp='1236286107' post='1788945']
Ways to compensate for IPB 3.x not fully supporting IE6

update to ie7/8 or even better use ff.

[Bono]

[quote name='sunrisecc' date='22 June 2009 - 03:39 PM' timestamp='1245677958' post='1812426']
While I agree with you about IE6 etc, the statement I quoted above is unrealistic in the business world of today.

There are too many corporations who do not allow their employees to download any new software. One of my clients (in the entertainment and sports business) still forces their employees to use FF2 or IE7 only. Even the IT department cannot use any other browsers for testing purposes. Wider monitors - forget it. The standards were set in early 2007 and will remain for a while longer.

Do not take this that I am defending the corporate world. I am just a realist who sees first-hand on a daily basis that 'keeping current' has a different meaning in the corporate world.


True, but like you said IE7, if we talked about IE7 that would be a problem, but we are talking here about IE6 which is EOL like PHP 4.x. So any business would decide to upgrade to even IE7 if not IE8 because old version of IE poses security risk for their business.

Anyway it not that big deal, people adopt fast if they cannot use full functionality of certain hardware and in this case they need to spend 5-15mins of their life to upgrade to newer IE or alternative browser.

And of course if company allows windows update, M$ will enforce upgrading of IE (probably marking IE update as critical) so those users will be up to date.