Sep 30, 2004
Problems with dumping IE
CNet points to some problems with totally getting rid of IE:
“For many people, using a non-Microsoft browser such as Firefox is now a must for secure Web surfing–but most still keep a copy of Internet Explorer around just in case. The problem is that many Web developers create their sites so they work best with Internet Explorer (IE), but not to work as well with browser software used by relatively tiny groups of potential visitors. Sites subject to complaints from Firefox users include Web travel site Expedia and Microsoft’s MSNBC news site. Even Shutterfly, the online photo service backed by Netscape Communications co-founder Jim Clark, warns visitors that it supports only a limited set of browsers.”
My personal take on this is that it is bad of web designers to design around a particular browser. Most things you would want to do with web sites you can do with cross-browser technologies, and there is in most cases no need in relying on one particular browser. When building an intranet it’s a different situation since it’s a controlled environment.