Questions revolving around ways of getting customers to embrace new web technology / browsers so one can deliver better web software to the end user.
It's hard to manage expectations of customers. Expectations such as:
- Websites should work on older browsers. (ambiguous).
- Websites should not require specific hardware.
- Giving system / computer specs for running a website is unacceptable.
Web development isn't as easy as many think. There's a lot that goes into creating a properly run web application (not just a website). Take a look at Google Docs or Microsoft Office online. These are more than just regular websites, and they force users to use newer browsers.
MS Office Online will not work with IE6, and they are trying very hard to push people to use IE8 (soon IE9). Google pushes as well, same with many other strong web entities.
You can do a lot on the internet, from playing games, watching movies, doing work, even coding and have the server you're connected to compile your code.
With everything the web can do, I find it amazing that people still want to put unrealistic expectations on web applications just because it will require someone to use a browser that is only… 2-3 years old.
I understand people don't like change. And we all know that many corporations will provide days/weeks of training to help their employees understand new internet browsers. There are also cases where people are forced to use old browsers because the archaic system they use for internal work only runs on that browser (ActiveX+IE6).
My Questions
How can you tell your end users that they will need to upgrade their browser to use the latest version of your website without a huge outcry?
Why does the expectation exist that it's ok for software to require people to upgrade Windows/Mac versions, but a website cannot require a new browser version?
Best Answer
First of all, I don't really think people have any greater motivation "to upgrade Windows/Mac versions": Here are the usage share of web client operating systems (August 2010): Windows XP (48.32%), Windows 7 (19.81%), Windows Vista (18.43%), Mac OS X (6.42%), iOS (iPhone) (1.40%), Linux (1.34%). So nearly 50% are using an outdated OS (XP).
By contrast, here are the usage share statistics for browsers: Overall- IE (31.1 %), FF (45.1%), Chrome (17.3%), Safari (3.7%), Opera (2.2%). Breaking down IE by version- IE9 (0.2%), IE8 (17.3%), IE 7 (8.0 %), IE6 (5.6%). And for Firefox- FF4 (0.8%), FF3.6 (35.3%), FF3.5 (5.6%), FF3.0 (2.9%). So over 50% use the latest stable (or beta) versions of these browsers.
As for your other question--"How can you tell your end users that they will need to upgrade their browser to use the latest version of your website without a huge outcry?"--you must understand (i) the factors motivating people to upgrade, and (ii) the factors inhibiting people from upgrading; then you must use these factors to bolster your appeal to your end-users.
Motivators
What rewards do end-users get by upgrading? Skimming Microsoft's IE8 marketing materials, these are the motivators they stressed most:
So motivators boil down to what the end-user will gain by upgrading (or lose if they don't upgrade). These things must be important to the end-user: Time, effort, financial security, compatibility, etc.
Reinforcers
Reinforcers aren't rewards, but they help increase the rate of adopting the desired behavior. Here's an example: Your web site can detect old versions of browsers, and direct users to download and install the latest versions by providing links and motivators.
Inhibitors
You must anticipate these arguments, and develop effective counter-arguments: