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May 23 11

WordPress ends support for IE6

Administrator

WordPress has discontinued support for IE6, as more web firms add pressure on users to stop using the decade-old browser.
In the latest minor update to its blogging software, users will not be able to login if using Internet Explorer 6, and will be shown
a link to upgrade.

“It has required increasingly complex code trickery to make the WordPress dashboard work in the IE6 browser, which was
introduced ten years ago and does not support current web standards,” said head of user experience Jane Wells on the WordPress blog.

The blogging platform isn’t just targeting Internet Explorer, but any old browser.

“While we were at it, we started looking at other older browsers, and it makes us cringe a little when we see people
using them, because the web could be so much better for them (not to mention more secure) if they would update to their favorite browser’s current version,”
wrote Wells.

“Starting with this update, if you log in to your WordPress site using an outdated browser, an orange alert will appear on your Dashboard screen letting you know, and will provide links to the browser updates and to Browse Happy, where you can learn a little more about your
options.”

The move to push users off IE6 mirrors Microsoft’s own efforts, including a countdown clock that tracks how many people are still using the older browser.

Other features
The new version also updates the dashboard, bringing new fonts, menu adjustments and new icons, “that we think are less distracting and fit better,” Wells said.
WordPress has also fixed the full-screen mode to make it easier to read. Wells said the changes were designed to make it easier to write on the platform.

“Everything about this feature revamp is designed to relax you, and allow you to find your groove without distraction,” she said.