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To be honest, I don't think that the day when "most developers just stop caring" will actually kill IE6. I work making custom web-based help systems and most o

To be honest, I don't think that the day when "most developers just stop caring" will actually kill IE6. I work making custom web-based help systems and most of our clients (who aren't software firms) base their browser support requirements on market share. We base our browser support requirements on their requirements. So until fewer people use IE6. As of last month, IE6 still has 10% of the market share (source: http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp). So many companies won't ditch IE6 until fewer people use it. Of course, the surest way to get IE6 users to upgrade is for support to die. Thus the IE6 snake of suckitude begins to eat its own tail. It could well be that it won't be until their hardware dies and they're forced to get a new computer that a lot of people will upgrade their browser.

benologist 17y ago
Getting browser marketshare stats from W3Schools is like getting os marketshare stats from Ubuntu.com. It's a very specific site with a very specific audience that is far from representative.
- TheTarquin 17y ago
  Out of curiosity, what's a more reliable or representative source for browser share information? Here's a TechCrunch article that actually quotes IE6's browser share at 20% - http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/02/internet-explorer-browser-share/ http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/02/internet-explorer-browser-s...
  - benologist 17y ago
    Any of the big guys tracking across a huge range of sites is generally alright, although your own personal stats are what ultimately matters - depending on who your audience is you might have 99% of your users using a browser traditionally regarded to have single digit market share.
- jdietrich 17y ago
  The only relevant stats are your own logs. It doesn't matter what the internet at large is using, any more than the kind of cars they drive in China matters to a mechanic in Ohio. Browser stats vary enormously from site to site and app to app for obvious demographic reasons. As I said in my first post, I don't think IE6 will be killed off, just that most developers will stop caring unless they have a real reason not to. Someone developing an app to order for a corporate client will continue caring for a long time yet, but for most of us it is dwindling rapidly as an issue.

benologist 17y ago

Getting browser marketshare stats from W3Schools is like getting os marketshare stats from Ubuntu.com. It's a very specific site with a very specific audience that is far from representative.

TheTarquin 17y ago
Out of curiosity, what's a more reliable or representative source for browser share information? Here's a TechCrunch article that actually quotes IE6's browser share at 20% - http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/02/internet-explorer-browser-share/ http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/02/internet-explorer-browser-s...
- benologist 17y ago
  Any of the big guys tracking across a huge range of sites is generally alright, although your own personal stats are what ultimately matters - depending on who your audience is you might have 99% of your users using a browser traditionally regarded to have single digit market share.
jdietrich 17y ago
The only relevant stats are your own logs. It doesn't matter what the internet at large is using, any more than the kind of cars they drive in China matters to a mechanic in Ohio. Browser stats vary enormously from site to site and app to app for obvious demographic reasons. As I said in my first post, I don't think IE6 will be killed off, just that most developers will stop caring unless they have a real reason not to. Someone developing an app to order for a corporate client will continue caring for a long time yet, but for most of us it is dwindling rapidly as an issue.