Building websites and apps has always required consideration of just what devices and software can actually run those websites and apps. With desktop browsers specifically, the internet browser Internet Explorer has always been the worst offender of keeping pace with the other major browsers and with cooperating with the technical norms accepted by other browsers. The only reason it continued to thrive was because it was integrated into Windows. Without that, anyone who took the time to compared browsers would likely choose an alternate.
It is refreshing to read a statement like this,
Starting January 31, 2015, we will no longer support official compatibility of Google Analytics with Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 (IE9). While you can continue to use IE9 after we discontinue support, some features may not work properly going forward. READ MORE
Especially when it did not seem a long time ago that as a web developer I had to make sure that my client’s websites were compatible with Internet Explorer 6 and 7, which each had their own major problems. (Just add 10% or more work onto the job.)
And to make matters worse, testing for browser compatibility with those older versions of Internet Explorer was a costly and time consuming endeavor as well, with little support from Microsoft. There was even a wonderful free online service a few years ago that made it easy and Microsoft made them shut down the operation. Although recently they have provided a solution to at least test for the latest version of Internet Explorer through their RemoteIE service.
And just yesterday I read that “IE Will Fall Below Firefox” in a list of 2015 web predictions, which is a realistic prediction.
I am grateful as a web designer and web developer to be continually freed from the bonds of catering to the unique nuances of Microsoft’s browsers. I can focus more on creating solutions for my clients with less struggle and cost.
So thanks to Google for stepping up and announcing that they will no longer support IE version 9, in order to “bring you new features and technologies in the design of Google Analytics to provide the best a user experience“. I like it.
Share your thoughts below.
