CashMachineHackHoax: Google Says It's Time to Update Your Browser: AllBusiness Weekly, 6/2/11

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The best news, analysis, insight, and inspiration from the Internet's largest small business resource.

June 2, 2011

Google Says It's Time to Update
Your Browser

When it comes to Web browsers, far too many small businesses are stuck in 2004. For whatever reasons, small businesses do not seem willing and able to upgrade to the latest versions of the browsers they use, whether it's Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or something else. All too often, I see otherwise savvy small business owners browsing the Web on the ancient version of Internet Explorer that came with their Windows XP PC.

No matter what the reasons, that's a bad idea. Older browsers are slower, less compatible, less capable, and most important, less secure than their newer replacements. And upgrading them is fast and free. There's really no excuse not to upgrade, except that in most cases it wasn't too hard to get away with it. Most Web sites and online services jumped through hoops to support just about every browser ever released.

I don't think that's doing anyone any favors, actually, and to its credit, Google has announced that the days of the obsolete browsers are coming to an end.

Yesterday, the company announced that starting August 1, it will drop Google Apps (including Gmail) support for older, outmoded browsers, including Firefox 3.5, Internet Explorer 7, Safari 3, and their predecessors. Going forward, each time a new browser version is released, Google will end support for the third oldest version.

Kudos to Google for this brave move.

In a few cases, the move could cause a tiny bit of hardship. For example, there are some small businesses (and significantly more enterprises) that use Web applications still reliant on Internet Explorer 6. These companies may have to download an additional browser to continue to use Google Apps. But in the vast majority of companies, this should provide a welcome push to take the easy step up to a better browsing experience. And the more companies using modern, safer browsers, the safer we'll all be.

Go ahead, make the move. You'll be glad you did.

Fredric Paul
Editorial Director

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