I found a great list on the blog/news section for the ocPortal CMS, 10 IE compatibility problems that you might not have realised. While the post is related to ocPortal, the Internet Explorer compatibility issues likely will apply to any CMS viewed by the browser.
Over the year's ocProducts has maintained a private list of issues in different web browsers, and if there's one thing that is consistent it is that Internet Explorer has the majority of the problems. Sometimes they are bugs, but as you'll see from this list sometimes other browsers just do things better. I am writing this blog post not to bash Microsoft, but hopefully to provide some useful information to other web developers. Thankfully IE8 fixed a ton of problems, and I can't wait until we can ditch IE6 and IE7, but unfortunately this will inevitably be years away; never-the-less, as far as I am aware every problem here applies to IE8 as well as older versions.
I wouldn't be surprised if IE8 fixes some of the incompatibility issues that the author lists. I've been using IE8 at both home and work and have found the browser to be an improvement over IE6 and IE7. Nevertheless, I still prefer Firefox over Internet Explorer.
Now, the following rant isn't directed toward ocPortal but something that has hit a sore spot with me.
The author talks about the need to keeping sites compatible with IE6 and I think this is definitely up for debate. One of the biggest issues with using IE6 in my opinion is that it is an insecure browser. When Microsoft itself recommends that you upgrade from IE6 to IE7 or IE8 due to security concern, I think it's lousy for site owners to promote IE6 compatibility through their sites. There comes a time when you can't keep blaming Microsoft for Internet security issues but the users that continue to use insecure software as well as the companies that allow their users to connect to their sites with insecure software.
A couple years ago someone started a goPHP5 campaign to promote getting hosting companies and CMS projects off of PHP4 and onto PHP5. Perhaps it's time to start a byeIE6 campaign to get people seriously off this outdated and insecure browser. Either way, it's time for Internet users to move on...
Comments
Hi Bryan and readers, I'm the
Hi Bryan and readers,
I'm the article writer and actually I'm with you on IE6. The best solution I think is to actually add a message on the site explaining this to viewers. We can't do it in the default ocPortal because many of our user's will expect us to remain impartial and "compatible", but I have started doing this when I work on sites for our clients.
The problem with IE6 is that many corporate users are stuck with it because their IT departments have infrastructure reasons for not upgrading; I think those departments need a push, but also at the same time unless all sites get organised with a common "switch off" strategy, it's only likely to hurt individual sites if they choose to not support it. As a vendor we can't make such important decisions for people as much as I personally would love to kick it out.
IE6 insecurity
Hi Chris, glad you joined the discussion.
I can fully appreciate that from a business point of view, the vendor is there to provide what the customer wants and it's a gamble when they don't. What I don't understand are those IT departments that don't see on security needs alone enough incentive to move their infrastructure requirements off of IE6. The only way I can see an IT department justify the use of IE6 is if their users have access to the corporation's own intranet/extranet and not the Internet.
What is most interesting to me is that many of those IE6 requirements in corporations is with applications tied often with human resource or financial systems. In general, I've observed some very questionable practices in IT security with those systems than say a typical corporate user's Windows desktop. It's frustrating to see corporations and large organizations be so lax in securing their software. They don't want to pay the cost of upgrading only to find at a later date the cost much higher when they don't.
IE6 and education
Unfortunately, its not just companies that keep IE6 around.
Schools do too. My high school in particular has a majority of Windows 98 machines, followed by Windows 2000, and then XP.
All of these machines have ONLY IE6 and an old version of Firefox, version 1.0.x or 1.5.x.
The library is a little more fortunate, they have Firefox 2.0.x on their computers.
Schools are either lazy or they don't have the manpower to get it done. They are unwilling to take external help when it is offered either.
At one point, I even offered to put Linux on all the Windows 98 machines for free, but they said that their licensing agreement with Microsoft prevents it, which I know is bull.
Nevertheless, a ByeIE6 initiative would never work unless you factor in the Win9x and Win2k installs. Both are still quite popular in schools, and will be for some time.