Google Apps Browser Support

I thought it was very interesting to see Google announce that its Google Apps will only support modern browsers (http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2011/06/our-plans-to-support-modern-browsers.html).

As of August 1st, we will discontinue support for the following browsers and their predecessors: Firefox 3.5, Internet Explorer 7, and Safari 3. In these older browsers you may have trouble using certain features in Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Talk, Google Docs and Google Sites, and eventually these apps may stop working entirely.

I understand their stance, but was fairly surprised to see the above statement. This is something many of us have talked about doing on our own web development projects, i.e. "I refuse to support IE6!", haha.

Their support will roll out as follows:
Each time a new version [of a browser] is released, we’ll begin supporting the update and stop supporting the third-oldest version.

I was just curious as to what everyone else thinks. Your thoughts?

It won't affect most of us, along with most other normal users, as we're all constantly updating our browsers anyway without giving a thought to it. But with (small) businesses utilizing Google Apps more and more for their business needs, it really forces those businesses to maintain browser modernization. Then again, if you're a business that utilizes Google Apps, you're probably routinely updating your browsers on your computers anyway.

-Shane

I thought they had already discontinued support for IE6.

I thought they had already discontinued support for IE6.
Yes, they had. They're not going to be supporting IE7 soon now.

My statement, "I refuse to support IE6!", was in reference to the many cries from the web developers here who have always wanted to or who have done so in the past on their web development projects. Google is basically doing what we have all talked about doing at one or point or another, despite our clients' requests.

-Shane

My only criticism of their plan is that if Mozilla actually is able to keep with their aggressive release schedule, Firefox 4 which is still really new will be unsupported in less than a year. Even 3.6 is only 18 months old, will be dropped if Firefox 5 really does come out on June 21st.

Dropping support that fast seems unrealistic, they should base their numbers more on how many customers are using a particular version.

I understand their stance, but was fairly surprised to see the above statement. This is something many of us have talked about doing on our own web development projects, i.e. "I refuse to support IE6!", haha.What's the surprise? I said this would happen years ago. You and the others all scoffed that it would never happen.

Their support will roll out as follows:
Quote:
Each time a new version [of a browser] is released, we’ll begin supporting the update and stop supporting the third-oldest version.
I've been doing the same thing for 3 years, as have most of the other web devs I collaborate with. Again, no surprise.
But with (small) businesses utilizing Google Apps more and more for their business needs
Another statement I made on these forums that everyone told me would never happen just two years ago!

I'm sure no one here remembers my predictions about ChromeOS, the rise of Apple, or the decline of Microsoft.

I'm sure no one here remembers my predictions about ChromeOS, the rise of Apple, or the decline of Microsoft.

You’re the Messiah! I was so lost before but now I’ve seen the light! I praise you and spread the message all over the world to convert all the other nonbelievers to follow the church of the holy drhowarddrfine. http://www.smileyvault.com/albums/stock/smiley-love0030.gif