Internet Explorer® 6 is dead, right? Well, try telling that to the millions of people who still use it. More troubling still, research shows that businesses are still one of the largest users of IE6, which exposes them to large vulnerabilities and a distinct lack of Internet security.

Despite the risks of Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) this article explains many of the reasons it remains popular, as well as some benefits of upgrading.

Do people still use IE6?

Despite its many flaws, Internet Explorer 6 is still actually the third most popular browser with 16 percent of the market share for web browsers. This is more than double that of Chrome, Google™’s browser which holds only 7.5 percent, and Apple®’s Safari browser, which only holds 5.16 percent. Overall, Internet Explorer 8 still takes the largest share with just over 31 percent, and IE7 comes in a bit smaller with only 11 percent. (IE9 Beta is still less than .01 percent at the time of this writing). Firefox takes second place with about a 23 percent share.

Part of IE8’s popularity is due to its heavy use on Windows® XP, which is still the most popular operating system, and that for many users it was offered as an automatic upgrade, rather than relying on them to manually upgrade, and it came preloaded on later versions of XP. It was included as part of Windows 7 and Windows Vista as well.

Internet usage studies show that IE 6 is used at almost twice the rate during business hours, before tapering off as other browsers become more prominent in the evenings. This indicates that many businesses have been reluctant to upgrade their systems and security, whereas individuals at home may be more tech savvy and security conscious.

One reason that many business systems still use IE6 might be because they rely on custom web applications that may not work properly in newer browsers. Unfortunately, in many cases this means that they must continue to run outdated operating systems (even cheap new computers come with Windows 7 and IE8, so you’d need to manually install IE6, which can be unexpectedly difficult for inexperienced users). This also indicates that many of these businesses are stuck running on outdated hardware, which can also cause severe reliability issues, as well as efficiency loss.

Specifically this may apply to smaller stores and localized businesses that use outdated hardware for accounting, cashiering, inventory control, and other daily tasks. However, many larger companies and systems (including many in the healthcare industry and elsewhere) are still stuck in IE6 while waiting for vendors to provide updated applications and compatibility. In these cases, the issue of cost tends to take precedence over all other concerns.

Besides businesses, there are a limited number of people who are essentially stuck with IE6 because of an extremely outdated operating system. Although IE6 initially shipped with Windows® XP, users are heavily encouraged to upgrade to IE 7 and IE8. However, for the small percentage of people using older versions, no upgrade is available. This includes Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows NT, even though they admittedly still only account for less than one percent of all OS usage.

Why Upgrade from IE 6?

There are a few benefits to upgrading to a newer version of Internet Explorer, or a newer browser. These include:

• The software is free and easily installed through the web, or Microsoft® will send you a CD to install the software

• Vastly improved (but still not invincible) security

• Improved web compatibility

• Improved reliability

• Improved efficiency and speed

• Besides Internet Explorer, there are many other very competitive (and free) options, such as Firefox, Chrome, and Opera

Internet Explorer 6 was designed and launched before many of the modern features of the Internet became mainstream. Many services no longer support IE6, meaning that key features will cease to function properly. In most cases, this is because it is nearly impossible to provide adequate security through IE6, but also because IE6 is not capable of running advanced features.

Companies cutting IE6 support include:

• Google™ Docs, Gmail, and other Google services (Google search engine will still work as usual)

• Facebook, especially Facebook chat and some add-ons

• Hulu™, YouTube™, Netflix® and many other video services

• Many smaller web-app vendors and clients

However, Microsoft will continue background support for IE6, as a part of supporting Windows XP. From the Microsoft blog:

"Dropping support for IE6 is not an option because we committed to supporting the IE included with Windows for the lifespan of the product. We keep our commitments. Many people expect what they originally got with their operating system to keep working whatever release cadence particular subsystems have.

As engineers, we want people to upgrade to the latest version. We make it as easy as possible for them to upgrade. Ultimately, the choice to upgrade belongs to the person responsible for the PC."

This means that, despite industry attempt to "kill IE6 for the benefit of the Internet," it will be around as long as people keep using it.

Ideas for Upgrading

Upgrading is actually very easy. As mentioned before, Microsoft will help you upgrade your browser for free online, or by sending an installation CD. You can download Internet Explorer 7 here, or on the same page find links to Internet Explorer 8.

Also, in terms of web applications, Amadeus Consulting specializes in Custom Web Application Development, and can help craft a solution that meets your needs and budget, and that will help your business move forward.

Also, there are many services that now exist that may not have been available a few years ago. As competition has grown in online spaces and technology has improved, there may be a new range of options and services available that can better fit your needs. We can also help find, build, or customize a solution to fit your needs.