Too many users use old browsers. Too many web folk spend too long making their sites work in old browsers. Making them work in old browsers gives users no reason to upgrade. And so the vicious circle continues. I can find no good source of reasons in layman’s terms of why a user should upgrade (as opposed to why web folks would want them to upgrade).
We need one!
Thanks Paul! I totally agree this issue creates a lot of pain in the online world. I’m not a developer/designer, but I know the woes of IE6 very well.
I wonder how such a video could change user behavior? To me the issue doesn’t seem to be a lack of better explanations, like, say, RSS. It seems like more of an overall awareness issue (not that that is a bad thing).
I’m just considering the right angle and what is causing the pain from the user’s perspective.
Do users on outdated browsers know they’re in pain?
I liken it to people still listening to cassette tapes, you can still hear the music but it could sound so much better. Wouldn’t it be great for websites if they could put up a short message with a link to a video which quickly informs the user why using the latest browser will improve their experience on the web. Most sites don’t seem to know how to explain and encourage visitors to upgrade and know that they alone can’t alter the demographics of browser use. So they give up and compromise their site for the sake of older browsers.
Most explanations I see dive straight into acronyms, XHTML support this, CSS layout that. Users don’t care. If it went better online security, better looking pages, cool tabbed browsing, built in pop up blockers instead… then it could be a different story.
So in answer to your comments I think we are overloaded with technical explanations but those focused at users are hard to find. A simple, straightforward explanation would be a great place for sites to focus awareness.
