February 19 2007: WTF with the IE?
Filed under Online
I’m going to indulge in a spot of hypocrisy.
What’s with the anti-IE sentiments? You make sure your layout works in all browsers, no matter what. That’s the point behind cross-browser compatibility…behind accessibility as a whole. To make sure that everyone, no matter what their operating system, resolution, browser, connection speed, physical disabilities, etc. can access your site. There’s no point flouting your accessibility statement when you can’t even fix your layout for the most basic of all accessibility issues.
When I owned Obsidian Rhapsody, all my layouts looked exactly the same in all browsers I had access to, as well as several that I didn’t have access to. I might have bitched about IE users from time to time…but that doesn’t mean that I neglected to cater for them. Like it or not, Internet Explorer is still the browser of choice for a majority of internet users around the world.
What, your stats show otherwise? Well, do your stats show individual visits, or just visits in general? I’m willing to bet that it’s the latter…and thus, is it any surprise that Firefox or its derivatives show the largest percentage? When your site only works in that one browser, it’s obvious that only people using that browser will return, thus boosting the Firefox advantage.
For the past three months, I’ve been using nothing but Internet Explorer 6, because that’s all I have access to. My own personal computer is still out of commission, and the computer that I use (my brother’s), doesn’t have enough ‘power’ to upgrade. It barely has 10mb of memory left on its hard drive, and runs slower than a snail. So no, I won’t be upgrading to IE7 any time soon. Yes, I am stuck with IE6. Yes, my internet browsing experience has been severely dampened. I’m simply not visiting as many sites as I used to because once I open up the site, if I find that it doesn’t work for me, I shut it down.
That’s why they invented Browser Shots. Use it. Rely on it. Run your site through it before you release a new layout. Because if you don’t, that’s one more regular visitor you will have lost…me.
14 Responses to “WTF with the IE?”
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As an IE user, I thank you for being so considerate.
Jennifer on February 19 2007 #
Interesting. It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of Internet Explorer — I may grumble and complain about idiotic IE fanpeeps, I may have that little “too cool for IE” thing, but I realise I’ve still got to cater to IE users. It’s not a choice.
Jordie on February 19 2007 #
Despite all my campaigning against IE, 66% of all my unique hits are still from IE users.
Mike Haddad on February 19 2007 #
I bet I’m one of those people you’re ranting about *hangs head*, but to be honest I can’t really work around the margin problem without having IE6 at my fingertips because I just don’t work well when I’ve only got a screenshot to go on and I don’t have enough disk space at my disposal to use a VM (I share this computer with three other people and we have 1gb to use together, and I don’t have anywhere near enough space to do anything without someone else wigging out because I had to delete some of their stuff to use the space).
I’ve asked a few people if they wouldn’t mind helping me, but no one has been able to, so unfortunately the margin on the header of my site is a little off (it shouldn’t obstruct viewing as my red layout did though). It’s unfortunate, but until I can get my hands on IE6 (or find someone with IE6 who is willing to help me) I can’t do anything about it.
I might be getting a new computer within the next year, once that happens I’ll be able to use a VM, until then I’m afraid my site isn’t going to work.
Becky on February 19 2007 #
I’m very obsessive compulsive about my site looking the same in all browsers, too. Every time I code something, I always have FF, IE and Opera open at the same time. I’ve found that it’s less of a headache to check my layout simultaneously on different browsers while I’m coding it, rather than to finish it in one browser before checking if it works on another. And when I’m done I go to Browser Shots to check my site on everything else just to be sure :P
Nikki on February 19 2007 #
An IE user is a bitch to cater for, but I do it anyway because it’s worth it.
Carina on February 19 2007 #
While I agree that sites should be viewable and functional in all browsers, I think if it’s *only* messed up in IE despite your best efforts, then to hell with it :-P As long as everything can be read and it works…
Kat on February 19 2007 #
The amount of times you killed IE when you made a new theme. But at least you catered for them. I speak to some people and they simply say, “Screw IE, if they don’t like it, they should switch to a better browser.”
I’ve never really had a problem with it myself (although the last time I made a theme was about… 5 months go. Yay for pink and green stripes!)
Discrimination, anybody :P?
Amber on February 19 2007 #
My site isn’t working 100% right in IE right now, but I’m (slowly) working on a new layout that does. It’s still usable in Internet Explorer, it’s just that the items in the navigational list have too much padding between them and now enough between them and the border underneath.
When I browse the internet at school, I’m stuck with IE6 as well. I don’t browse an incredible amount at school, so it’s not a huge issue, but it does get annoying when sites don’t work right in IE. What happens is that I look at something else and visit the first site at home.
Jessica on February 19 2007 #
Holy shit, that browser shot site is an excellent resource! *bookmarks*
Belinda on February 19 2007 #
Something you might want to consider if you don’t actually like having to put up with IE… if you have a USB memory stick, download Portable Firefox to it. It’s about 5Mb & then all you’ve got to do is plug in the stick where-ever you go. (If you haven’t got a USB stick, they’re not expensive!)
It’s funny though - you saying that you’re opening sites and then simply shutting them down if they don’t work in IE because we all know that two years or so ago the situation was reversed and it was Firefox users having to do the same. I fail to see the difference between the web n00bs not looking out for FF and the web ‘elite’ ignoring IE: it’s still alienating users.
For the record though, my FF users dominate my stats even though my site is (roughly) IE-compatible ;)
Jem on February 20 2007 #
Amanda using IE?! What is the damn world coming to?
Anastasia on February 20 2007 #
I have IE (6) tab (I love it very much, I don’t have to open ie so often anymore, cos it’s really showing same as ie) in my FF… and what I know my site is working in IE6 (I don’t know about 7, perhaps I should try that screenshot site), FF and Opera. I’m definetly against IE, but on the other hand I want to make my small site for other than ff/opera users too.
Hanna on February 20 2007 #
I completely understand what you’re saying here; you should cater for all your visitors no matter what browser they use (and whether or not you like that browser)
I’m always trying to make my layouts look the same in all browsers and as far as I’m aware they all now show as they are intended (with the help of some IE 6 users ;) )
Also, I’m one that likes to hear when things are wrong and I didn’t see it myself, so I can fix it. So feel free to let me know if anything is wrong.
Chans on February 20 2007 #