How many of you use Internet Explorer 6 at work? According to Forrester Research, six out of 10 of you raised your hand. Why the enterprise insistence on clinging to a browser that's nearly three years out of date and a known security risk?
Quick quiz: What Web browser do you use at home? Firefox? Internet Explorer 7 (or perhaps even 8)? Safari? Opera?
Now, show of hands: How many of you use Internet Explorer 6 at work? According to Forrester Research, six out of 10 of you raised your hand. Why the enterprise insistence on clinging to a browser that's nearly three years out of date and a known security risk?
According to ZDNet's Larry Dignan, it's because
few IT departments have a "browser policy" in place. And consequently, productivity suffers:
Too few IT departments have a browser policy and they sure don't think through potential productivity gains with advancements such as tabs, faster processing and JavaScript engines and better search features.
This is must-read material, not just for IT personnel but for company decision-makers as well. While adopting a new operating system can be costly and time-consuming, browsers are free. Granted, they must be tested for compatibility and then deployed, both of which have associated costs. But they're nothing compared with deploying a new version of Windows, and the security benefits alone should help you recoup the costs quickly.
That's our take on the subject. What's yours? Is your organization still using IE6? If so, why? Share your thoughts in the comments.
