What is the best argumented proof of the statement “IE6 is not standards compliant”?

Question

I've met a new friend. That's a woman and she is a designer. And she has a strange attitude towards IE of version 6 (and older). She just LOVES it. And she has a strong argument: "when I started programming websites, there were no "correct" browsers", so she beleives, that IE is the most correct ever. I'm a programmer and I was always scared by designing something, but I am not new to CSS, HTML and Javascript. However, professionally, I just lack serious proofs, that IE actually never tried to follow any standards.

And now I have problems trying to prove my position. From a lot of professional literature I read in my life I heard, that IE really violated standards seriously both in HTML, CSS and JavaScript. But I can't find valuable of this fact. Can you help in this quest? :)

Answer 1

With all due respect, you're both probably wrong.

First off, it's probably not subjective or controversial to say that IE6 is horrible.

But, at the time it was released almost ten years ago, AFAIK IE6 was one of the most standards-compliant browsers out there, in terms of CSS compliance. The problem is that the standard evolved significantly since those draft revisions ten years ago, and there hasn't been the push to auto-update the browser like Firefox and Chrome have. That has left a significant installed base of IE6 around.

She probably loves the browser because she's let her skills lapse in terms of CSS.

Answer 2

Saying "it was good when i started" is not a strong argument. She reminds me of a point that Crockford made in his talks, that the main opponents to technology, the ones that were the most prone to oppose change was us, the power users... "I never use this feature, but still get things done therefore this feature is crap" is a common bias, even when you know about it and look out for it...

IE6 was the very best at a time. Not anymore. Things change... As pointed, the ACID test, the user experience and most of all the non-implementation of all the standards that could help us advance are all valid reasons for axing IE6

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But anyway, is it important that your lady friend likes IE6? Do you feel strongly about it? Perhaps you should let her like what she wants and not think too much about it :)

Answer 3

Well, ACID is a test page testing browsers if they follow certain web standards. For further reading have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid2 .

Internet Explorer has and will ever ( ;-) ) display web pages differently from other browsers.

Answer 4

Suggest her to try CSS Zen Garden's "Gemination" both on IE6 and Firefox.

Answer 5

Run the acid test, it is the best proof. Here you have a whole browser comparison test: http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,687738/Big-browser-comparison-test-Internet-Explorer-vs-Firefox-Opera-Safari-and-Chrome-Update-Firefox-35-Final/Practice/

Answer 6

The problem is that IE6 is still the standard browser for a lot of users. If a design is created on IE6 without pushing the limits much, then it is lickly to look OK on all broswers.

So as a tool for a web designer, IE6 may be the best browser. (Just don't ask me to use it on my personal PC!)