Sean, where are you using CORS support?  I browsed around your site in 
IE7 and it doesn't seem to balk or have any missing functionality.

Cary, I think users can be even more frustrated when a site is broken 
and they don't know how to fix it (or even realize it's broken).  I 
would at least give them a heads up and a nudge to improve their own 
experience (and not just on our sites), while not blocking them from 
browsing a site with less functionality.  I do tend to warn users gently 
they may have a sub-optimal experience if they are using an antiquated 
browser.

Those Flash messages on the iPad are poorly implemented.  If they are 
sniffing for flash, they should be sniffing for the user agent too... 
that is if there's a non-flash alternative. But really, those developers 
are going to be extinct soon.  I don't have an iPad.  How often does 
that actually occur?

-Shaun

On 7/12/12 11:04 AM, Sean Hannan wrote:
> I go by my statistics (and you should, too). I can't make users use another
> browser (as much as I'd like them to). The bulk of our users still use IE
> (well, the bulk use a WebKit browser--Chrome/Safari--but lumping those
> together isn't an assumption I'm ready to lean on yet). That IE majority is
> shrinking, though.
>
> I'm in the middle of launching a new site redesign (old:
> http://www.library.jhu.edu new: http://testsh.mse.jhu.edu/newwebsite), so
> this is very present in my mind at the moment.
>
> My cutoff is IE8. Everything IE8 and above is fine and will work fine with
> the new site. And honestly, since I'm not doing anything that fancy with the
> new site (it's pretty stripped down on purpose), that IE8 limitation is
> really based on CORS support. IE7 don't got it.
>
> People will upgrade when they upgrade. Libraries aren't really in the
> position to force users to change their browsing habits.
>
> -Sean
>
>
>
> On 7/12/12 10:33 AM, "Michael Schofield"<[log in to unmask]>  wrote:
>
>> Hi Code4Lib,
>>
>>
>>
>> Ever since Microsoft announced the new IE auto-update policy, the
>> blogosphere is fussing. This is definitely important (and good) news, but
>> sites-Smashing Magazine has three articles on it in the last few days-are
>> really pushing the "drop IE support," and "its literally slowing the
>> internet down." I'm down, but that attitude-especially for libraries-isn't
>> really the right one to have. It is, IMHO, an old view. A smart design
>> strategy with progressive enhancement can deliver content to . everyone -
>> which should be the priority for non-prof / [local-]government web presences
>> over flare. Right?
>>
>>
>>
>> Anyway, all of this is coming from some really good web developers who don't
>> really face the same issues that have to be considered for library sites. I
>> was just curious what the library community actually thought about this.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>>
>>
>> Michael
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Here's some reading:
>>
>>
>>
>> "Old Browsers ar eHOlding Back the Web" (July 9th):
>> http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/07/09/old-browsers-are-holding-back-the
>> -web/
>>
>>
>>
>> "Dear Web User: Please Upgrade Your Browser" (July 10th) :
>> http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/07/10/dear-web-user-please-upgrade-your
>> -browser/
>>
>>
>>
>> "It's Time to Stop Blaming Internet Explorer" (July 12th):
>> http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/07/12/its-time-to-stop-blaming-internet
>> -explorer/
>>
>>
>>
>> A recent library blog today: "Have you Given Much thought to browsers"? :
>> http://www.meanlaura.com/archives/1528
>>
>>
>>
>>

-- 
Shaun D. Ellis
Digital Library Interface Developer
Firestone Library, Princeton University
voice: 609.258.1698 | [log in to unmask]