Anyone still using ie6?

giraffe69

I still have it on my system. I like the OP don't like the layout of newer versions. I don't use IE to browse the web, it's only for logging into my router. I use Firefox mainly and occasionally Opera. Firefox isn't the latest version, I use 3.6 because I prefer the interface. I don't like the new layout all browser makers are using. Catering exclusively for widescreen displays which I don't use, so why should I use browsers that have crap layouts that don't cater for my needs. I have tried many other browsers and always go back to Firefox 3.6.

You can use whatever you want however in addition to making changes to the interface those producing browsers also improve security as has been pointed out. Stick with an old browser and live with increased risk. You may well get away with it for sometime.

RussJK

A.Penny.Saved wrote: »

Firefox isn't the latest version, I use 3.6 because I prefer the interface. I don't like the new layout all browser makers are using.

Haven't you been able to change the layout of the latest Firefox to look like 3.6?

If you right click on the dashboard and untick 'Tabs on Top', then make sure 'Menu Bar', 'Bookmarks', and 'Navigation bar' are ticked - then it looks much the same as 3.6.

Most other things that bother you can probably be changed if you google what you have to do with About:Config.

There are a lot of speed improvements in the latest version, including GPU/Direct2D support. Of course you have to be happy with what you have - I'm just letting you know that the interface is quite changeable.

A.Penny.Saved

RussJK wrote: »

Haven't you been able to change the layout of the latest Firefox to look like 3.6?

I didn't spend that much time using v5 when I tried it. I did change it a little so it looked a bit closer to FF 3.6

If you right click on the dashboard and untick 'Tabs on Top', then make sure 'Menu Bar', 'Bookmarks', and 'Navigation bar' are ticked - then it looks much the same as 3.6.

Most other things that bother you can probably be changed if you google what you have to do with About:Config.

There are a lot of speed improvements in the latest version, including GPU/Direct2D support. Of course you have to be happy with what you have - I'm just letting you know that the interface is quite changeable.

I realise that there have been improvements, javascript has been speeded up considerably and the memory usable is also much better. However without the required extensions, it's too big a change from what I am used to, which works well for me and I don't want to have to alter how I use my browser just to accommodate it.

Andrew1472

RussJK wrote: »

The stats aren't that encouraging for FF either really, as at the time (May 2011) Firefox 4 was the current. Makes you wonder what inducements Google are offering the malware authors as Chrome users were barely touched

Interesting. I thought Firefox would be more robust than that.

Chrome is probably being spared because nobody can be bothered, yet, to find a way round the sandbox.

The Chrome webstore will prove to be it's vulnerability imho.
There is a blog entitled Security Bugs in Google Chrome Extensions (And How To Avoid Them). A lot of it is too technical for me, but it's enough to ring an alarm bell or two.
http://www.adrienneporterfelt.com/blog/?p=226

spannerzone

In addition to RussJK's info on changing Firefox's buttons:

I couldn't get on with Firefox 6 /7 when it moved the navigation buttons all over the place (to copy useless IE7's poor layout) but luckily you can move the buttons to where you want them and pretty much like IE6's button placement. Just right click over the tool bar and click 'customise' and a 'customise window' pops up, ignore this window (!) and behind it you'll find you can drag the home - stop - refresh - back/forward buttons around... I put all mine over to the left in one neat row, then click 'Done' on the customise window and you're done. Sometimes the Home and refresh buttons disapear unless put in the order (left to right) of: left - right - stop - refresh - home followed by the address bar.

RussJK

Andrew1472 wrote: »

Interesting. I thought Firefox would be more robust than that.

Chrome is probably being spared because nobody can be bothered, yet, to find a way round the sandbox.

Most of the risks to Firefox users actually come from insecure third party plugins. But saying that doesn't exonerate Mozilla - it's still their browser, and they need a solution that's more failsafe. It'll be interesting to see what happens with Chrome, thanks for the link!

You can view the other panel from that particular malware server, which shows what exploits were most successful:
http://labs.m86security.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/panel1.png

Mainly Java, followed by PDF exploits. Also an IE/ActiveX specific exploit of MDAC (http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2006-0003)

Here's an older malware server with the Phoenix Exploit Kit, with slightly different stats and exploits:
http://www.m86security.com/newsImages/TRACE/ph2.png
http://www.m86security.com/newsImages/TRACE/ph3.png
http://www.m86security.com/newsImages/TRACE/ph5(1).png

Without plugins like Java and Adobe (or any other PDF reader plugin), and using Firefox - then the surface for attack is pretty small from most of these exploit kits. Look at how few people were exploited by Adobe Flash - 24 out of 20,000.

jaydeeuk1

We HAVE to support IE6 still, as most of our clients are NHS (which still have old machines in use, saw a 5.5 one not long ago!) and more worringly, our Government contract states IE6 support must be maintained, as the majority of their machines still use this (approx 20% of the 500,000 users).

And we wonder why there are always so many leaks and hacks!

hessodreamy

As a web designer I can concur that we've stopped testing for IE6 users. IE6 has always been very quirky for us. Market share is now down to 1.6% (based on our stats), so we don't test in IE6.

There's a plethora of browsers out there to choose from: chrome, Firefox, safari, opera. Perhaps one of them has an interface you like?

My experience is that chrome and safari are much faster than any version of IE. As well as being more secure.

HarryL

I recently read that 2% of the internet users are using IE6. Now thats just low enough for website builders and software programmers to stop worrying about whether their products behave properly on that browser. Most sites should work but may look slightly different from what the creator intended. (side note, this does baffle me. Why do different browsers display the SAME code differently? I swear Microsoft and backwards compatibility are yet to meet.) Not going to mention security it seems others have that covered.

Astuteboy

HarryL wrote: »

I recently read that 2% of the internet users are using IE6. Now thats just low enough for website builders and software programmers to stop worrying about whether their products behave properly on that browser. Most sites should work but may look slightly different from what the creator intended. (side note, this does baffle me. Why do different browsers display the SAME code differently? I swear Microsoft and backwards compatibility are yet to meet.) Not going to mention security it seems others have that covered.

You'd think so, but 2% of visits can translate to many thousands in revenue for a reasonably sized e-commerce business, so where I work we still try and support IE6 as best we can on our sites (particularly as we have plenty of school / council etc purchasers as mentioned earlier).

It's a nightmare, it always has been, mainly due to the IE6 box model which was poorly implemented by MS. We don't take the approach that it has to be pixel perfect in IE6; we just make sure that things appear in the right place and it works!

To the OP, yes, please upgrade or use a different browser! You will find browsing a much more pleasurable experience I promise. And you'll be able to go on Youtube without a warning message