Stop Using IE6 or Google will Abandon you!!

Minutes ago, I received an email from Google which made jump in my chair with joy. As a developer, no other news could make me happier (especially at this time, when I was on the verge of pulling my hair, trying to get a client’s site work properly on this beastly browser). We all know about the age old fight of web developers, site owners, designers and web service providers with the timeworn Internet Explorer 6 users. Interestingly, this fight has been supported by many communities across the globe and Microsoft gave its share by taking away all support for IE6 with the launch of IE7.

What’s the news after all?

Though Google has been intimidating its users for long to stop using IE6, it finally declared to set its foot down, saying, “In order to continue to improve our products and deliver more sophisticated features and performance, we are harnessing some of the latest improvements in web browser technology.  This includes faster JavaScript processing and new standards like HTML5.  As a result, over the course of 2010, we will be phasing out support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 as well as other older browsers that are not supported by their own manufacturers … Later in 2010, we will start to phase out support for these browsers for Google Mail and Google Calendar.”

Finally, Google fully joined the war with Microsoft and the rest of the world against IE6 users with this bold step. For this Google deserves a round of applaud!

The news brings hope for an end to the usage of IE6, if not by the end of year 2010, at least somewhere between the years 2011-12. It’s no news that Google rules the World Wide Web with the maximum number of market share, and with this step it will definitely act as an eye opener for the IE6 users and bring relief to businesses and people suffering because of them.

Great News! No IE6.

This will be great news for developers, as they’ll save a lot of production time bypassing the extra styling and fixes needed to work upon, just to render same look for all the apps and websites on IE6. They will finally implement newer technologies and render web experience, which in turn will undoubtedly raise the web standards and their awareness among users.

Great news for users, as they’ll surf the web more securely and can welcome newer technologies; applications that will enhance their browsing experience. Users will then get more features and functionality from newer browsers, which means they can actually speed up their business or work online and deliver more in lesser time. And above all, they will have one look for all applications on all browsers.

Also for website owners, as they will be relieved from the merciless charge by developers, not me!! to have their websites support users of IE6.

Well, it’s more than important for everyone to support Google in their efforts against IE6. I say, be it developers or designers, we should all follow the footsteps of these great leaders and from this point, stop any and every support and fix for IE6.

What’s your take on this news? Share your views below..