What did Internet Explorer 6 do to deserve a mock funeral attended by over 100 smirking developers, adorned symbolically in black? Put bluntly, it didn't die when it should have. Morbid? Sure. But IE6, which was released in 2001, still commands nearly 10% of the browser market (as of February 2010), even though Microsoft released version 7 in 2006, and version 8 this time last year. For website developers, IE6 had been a thorn in the side for years, but in recent years, that thorn wound has abscessed as workarounds to ensure compatibility have grown more complex, and costly. Yet, with usage numbers in the neighborhood of 10%, it has been hard to justify neglecting IE6.
Finally, however, the browser tide appears to be turning. Google announced on January 29th that it would stop supporting IE6 in its applications starting March 1. Others have, and will, follow. With this announcement, the cheers from the message boards were nearly audible as all the little guys showed enthusiastic support for what should have been done long ago.
Unfortunately, bidding IE6 a permanent farewell won't be so simple, especially during a recession. In so many corporate and large organization environments, IE6 is in lockstep with the operating system, and without a dire need, IT departments are loathe to upgrade its users unless it must. Therefore, Google and other leaders in the web community will need to responsibly persuade its constituents to upgrade to modern browsers to ensure consistent experiences across the web. Until that time, some web developers will continue to support this bitter relationship with IE6, while others, like those attending the mock funeral today, will be relieved to say goodbye to this geriatric relative that lived far too long.