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Re: Is this a good Idea: Pushing Up the Web?

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 3:21 pm
by VirtuosiMedia
While I definitely appreciate the need to retire IE6, I just don't see how this would really work in its current incarnation without a lot of help. I think it would better to get a petition signed by developers to be delivered to some of the companies that own the big sites. The big sites would then display a message on their sites (and perhaps send an email to their users as well). Smaller sites could coordinate with the bigger ones on the date so that it appears everywhere at once. I'd suggest targeting with the petition:

Google
Yahoo
Microsoft
AOL
YouTube
MySpace
Amazon
Facebook
Craigslist

(As well as some of the anti-virus software providers. They could display an alert to their customers as an advisory.)

Re: Is this a good Idea: Pushing Up the Web?

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:15 pm
by webkid
ghurtado wrote:
webkid wrote: The UI looks pretty convincing, people might even mistake it for something that came from the browser itself. Not sure if everyone would prefer that, but if you don't like it you could always change some css around.
It's a horrible idea to trick visitors to your website into thinking their browser is asking them to upgrade when in reality it is just you.
Those who don't like it can just use some CSS to change things to their liking, I think it's pretty effective, who cares if it's just you, an update is an update.
ghurtado wrote:(do you seriously think the average web user cares whether Firefox or Internet Exporer is more standards compliant?)
Users care about important updates to keep them safe. Old browsers don't have those update messages so they might even appreciate it. It's not a bad thing to raise awareness amongs users using browsers that are so old. Those who don't care, can just click away the message, eventually even those users will get a new computer with updates.
ghurtado wrote:so do not expect to see it in any major sites any time soon (ie: ever), at least not the ones whose webmasters have basic common sense or are "old" enough to remember the nineties.
I'm not sure why you fail to see the upside of things. I guess sticking with your beliefs no matter what is a forum thing. Try thinking beyond the 90's, we're passed that now, at a time like this where the web is holding everyone back we could use initiatives like this. It's shortsighted to think this will have no effect. Even if no major site implements this, a lot of small once could make a difference as well.

Re: Is this a good Idea: Pushing Up the Web?

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:02 pm
by Eran
I completely agree with Ghurtado. Of course for us it will be better if users upgraded - but users obviously don't see it that way. Those with technical inclination most likely are already using the latest browsers - and you will find it hard to educate those without technical understanding of the benefits of newer browsers. Tricking those into upgrading by disguising as a browser alert for updates is a violation of the user's trust.

I would be happy to be rid of older non-standards compliant browsers as much as every other developer. However, tricking / annoying users with update messages is foul play in my book. I would never employ such tactics on any site I build.

Just bear with it until older browsers go out of use naturally instead of trying to force the issue.