Word Press will no longer support Internet Explorer 6 as of May, 2011. Up until this point, the blogging platform has supported IE 6. The decision to break-away from IE 6 was made based upon the complexities of designing a Word Press platform that could support the aging browser. While it may seem as though nobody uses the outdated IE 6 anymore, this isn’t exactly the case.

Thirty-five percent of all web users in China still rely on IE 6 daily. This number is significantly lesser within the U.S. (under three percent), but that thirty-five percent is still relevant in Microsoft’s eyes – or is it? When Word Press announced that it would no longer support IE 6, Microsoft didn’t flinch. In fact, Microsoft has been pushing people to sign up for Windows 7 for some time now.

Why IE 6 Won’t Go Away

Businesses take time to get things done. Whether it’s upgrading systems or changing office carpeting, business decisions aren’t made quickly. This is precisely the case with Internet Explorer 6. Many businesses around the world rely on IE 6 for corporate Intranets. Upgrading to a newer system would mean hours of work, plenty of money spent on tech experts, and a general nuisance for all involved.

When all is said and done, upgrading to Windows 7 will cost businesses million of dollars. Microsoft doesn’t want to flush its loyal business clients down the drain, which is why the company still puts up with IE 6 users. However, Microsoft has been targeting businesses with new Windows 7 campaigns for some time now.

Why You Shouldn’t Use IE 6

If you are still using Internet Explorer 6, you are putting yourself at great risk. This browser is no longer secure. That means that your system is no longer secure. Upgrading to Windows 7 doesn’t take a lot of time, but it’s something that everyone that’s still using Internet Explorer 6 should do. There’s another reason why IE 6 no longer makes sense, and this reason may directly impact the way that you work and surf the Internet.

Many different websites no longer support IE 6. Word Press aside, Basecamp, YouTube, Gmail, and many other websites will not work with IE 6. You may not even be able to view this website properly. If you keep getting error messages of if regular websites won’t load, you’re missing out on much that the Internet has to offer. Internet Explorer 6 had its heyday, but now it’s time to let that browser go.

Replacement Options

It’s hard to make changes. Thankfully, you’ll love some of the new browser options that are now available (or were at the time of this writing). Some interesting browser options include Firefox and Google Chrome. These browsers are nothing like Internet Explorer 6, but they are, instead, much better.

You’ll find that Firefox doesn’t crash, and Google Chrome has a number of great features. If you’re still part of the IE 6 generation, make the change. Word Press no longer wants to support your browser, and there’s really no reason to keep hanging onto the past.