Microsoft Says Goodbye to Internet Explorer 6

Microsoft has used its blog to celebrate a symbolic goodbye to its once-dominant browser Internet Explorer 6.  Fewer than 1% of US web users now have the browser installed, meaning that it has all but disappeared.

According to data from Net Applications, Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) usage has fallen below 1% of all users for the first time in the US, which gave Microsoft an excuse to break out the champagne and a cake to celebrate the occasion.  Microsoft is happy to see the old browser go as it's now been replaced by more modern versions, IE8 and IE9.  Roger Capriotti, head of marketing for Internet Explorer, used the post to remind users of the technical progress that has been made since then.

To encourage users to make the transition, Microsoft launched the IE6Countdown site last March.  It tracks the falling usage of the browser around the world, with a view to helping users abandon IE6, which is now out-of-date after more than ten years of service.  The dashboard tracks the stats country-by-country, using data from Net Applications.  In the UK, 1.4% of web users are still on IE6, meaning we've yet to meet the under-1% target.


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