At the initial sight or sound of the two-word terms “web design” and “web development,” it is understandably easily to assume that they are one in the same.  Or at least similar, for that matter.  But really, the two major parts that go into the creation of a website are substantially different from each other.

How about a few comparisons that help to explain web design vs. web development:

• Web designers are artists; Web developers are geeks (in a good way, of course).
• Web design is an art; Web development is a science.
• Web designers are architects; Web developers are builders.
• Web design is creative; Web development is technical.
• Web designers are right-brained; Web developers are left-brained.

The list could on, but these examples will probably suffice for now—and hopefully provide some initial clarity on the relationship between web design and web development.

What Does Web Design Involve?

Web designers basically practice a unique brand of graphic design.  Great web designers are creative artists that know how to bring design together perfectly with goals and desires in order to “paint a picture” that draws the visitor’s eye.  Web design is all about getting the colors right and getting the shapes and sizes right; it focuses on images, fonts, and where they should be on the page.  And naturally, it combines all of the elements found throughout a website into one cohesive look & feel.  Web design really is an art!

What Does Web Development Involve?

Web developers take the graphical web design—the look and feel, if you will—and make it work.  Web development is all about coding, software programming, and making the technical aspects of a website work exactly the way they should.  It also typically involves the ensuring that security and web hosting are setup and implemented just the way they should be…and that everything works well together from a functionality perspective. Your web developers are the mad scientists behind the scenes that bring the designer’s vision to life.

Now, For The Kicker…

Some web designers are also great web developers; and some web developers are also very proficient at web design.  If that sounds confusing, just remember, like anything in life, sometimes the right side of the brain and the left side of the brain work together in perfect harmony.  As a full-service web firm, here at Sleepless Media, we happen to be harmoniously proficient at both the art of design and the science of development.

Why Is Balance Between The Two Practices So Important?

You’ve probably seen websites that come across as way too technical and logical.  On the other hand, you’ve surely run across websites that theoretically look fantastic—but then they don’t work correctly or jam up your entire computer.  Either of these scenarios can happen when balance between design and development is off-kilter.

The bottom line is that in order for a web design to work, in order for it to achieve and carry out the goals expected of it, a fine-line combination of both web design and web development must be implemented with great care.

Fact:  At first glance, design looks easier than it really is.

It’s true.  Think about the last time you saw a picture of something in a magazine—maybe it was a gourmet recipe or something similar.  You might have said, “Hey, that doesn’t look so hard…I can make that!”  And then you did, and well…it didn’t exactly turn out quite as great as you had planned.  Maybe it’s not just a science of following the steps…maybe there is an art to this after all.

Sound all too familiar?  Well, maybe you are a great cook and that’s your forte, so the recipe turned out even better than the magazine picture promised.  And of course, we know that there lots of incredible graphic designers and web designers out there…who naturally create truly awesome designs.  Everyone is good at something, but sometimes it’s best to really be honest with ourselves and admit we might not be the best person for the job if that is indeed the case.

Unfortunately, for those out there who are not designers, then one thing is certain—those good folks are definitely not web designers either.  Best to leave it up to the pros for expert quality results.

It’s no secret that web designers (and for that matter, designers of all kinds) tend to be a little bit finicky.  And when you think about it, it’s hard to blame them really.  After all, they spend countless hours each and every day looking at designs and figuring out what really looks great and works well at the same time.  Just another day in the life of a professional designer…

Advice:  When it comes to designing your website, trust your designer.

You’ve spent a good amount of time and due diligence making sure you are working with just the right web designer to best achieve your unique goals.  Now it’s time to step back and put some confidence in your well-vetted decision.  Trust your web designer’s advice by all means.

• Ethical, professional designers will never borrow, copy, or otherwise steal someone else’s work to use on a site design they’re working on (even if their client asks them to).
• Expert web designers know what works, especially for the niches they specialize in.
• They are well versed on the latest technologies and upcoming web design trends.
• Good web designers work with your goals to ensure your site’s design will achieve its intended results.
• Continuous scope changes or other diversions from an agreed upon path to design completion will inevitably lead to spiraling project expenses—however, pro designers always prefer to avoid this scenario even if they ultimately won’t charge as much.

Web designers want to create the site to perform and function correctly—each new site is their next potential masterpiece.  Their professional reputation is at stake here and the last thing an expert web designer wants to do is violate the principles of good design.

Bottom Line:  Once you’ve selected a designer you trust, it’s best to just sit back and let them work their creative magic!

Do you need a mobile version of your website…or is it overkill?  Good question, and hopefully we can help you with the decision making process a little bit.  But first, a few quick facts:

• The iPhone retains a significant portion of the overall mobile device market share—and it doesn’t display any of the Flash-based components that traditional web browsers display.

• According to AdMob, one of the leading mobile advertising networks, nearly 40 million unique Android and iPhone mobile devices were in use worldwide during the month of April 2010.  And this is just 2 of the major mobile players—it doesn’t even include Blackberry or other popular devices.

• In Q1 2010, shipments of smart phones numbered 54.7 million units; this is a 56% increase over the previous year (see ZDNet article here).

The bottom line is this—more and more people are relying on their mobile devices to access your website.  While there is expansion and growth of the overall web market (in addition to traditional standard web browser use), there is also a trending shift away from traditional computer-based web browsers to mobile devices.

What Does This Mean For My Site?

Well, if you’re utilizing a Flash-based design, chances are, you’re already experiencing some trouble if you don’t have a mobile version of your site.  Your mobile visitors are simply not seeing all of your site (if any at all).  This is something to remedy one way or another as promptly as possible.

If your site is graphically heavy, or utilizes robust multimedia or programming functionality, its performance on mobile devices will be significantly impacted in a negative way.  Remember, not all mobile device users are on the latest high-speed data networks; also, mobile device processing power isn’t exactly as robust as your home or office PC.

Simpler, clean sites without all of the extra gimmicks should do well on most mobile devices without any additional modifications.  It is always important to test and verify this though.  Lightweight, standards-compliant sites will naturally do better on mobile device browsers than other, more resource-heavy websites.

What Does It Take To Go Mobile?

Creating a mobile version of your site is not always as difficult as it sounds.  With a modern, quality CSS-coded site, usually displaying the content in a mobile version of the site can be accomplished by simply creating an alternate stripped-down version of the CSS style—and then using automated code to direct mobile users to this version.  Some CMS sites have ready-to-plug-in mobile templates available to take even more of the hassle out of the process.  Of course, in other more complex cases, it can be quite a bit more challenging to accomplish.

Some site owners are choosing to just give the major areas of their sites a mobile-friendly makeover.  In the end, it’s really up to you to decide.  If at all possible though, it’s probably wise to just bite the bullet and go for it.  Your mobile visitors will definitely appreciate the fact that your site has considered their unique situation and tried to make life better for them!

If there is one thing about investing in a quality website that’s built upon solid web development, it would probably be the fact that once the initial site is done, future improvement and expansion is a breeze.  Let’s start this blog post off with an analogy:

Think about it for a minute—when you buy an older house that needs some modernization, do you tear it down and start over, or do you remodel it and return it to the modern livability it deserves?  Well, most of the time, the scenario follows the path of remodeling—it’s usually less expensive and less time consuming to produce perfect results this way.  Of course, sometimes, the renovations required would be extreme enough that starting over from scratch on a clean slate is the best approach to creating the dream home you have imagined.

The moral of the story?

Well, usually homes designed and built with quality in mind from the beginning are more future proof than those that are simply thrown together for a quick profit.  Both will need facelifts and updating in the future—that much is inevitable.  But the expenses and time required to keep up a well-built home are clearly less than the alternative in almost every case.

The bottom line here is that websites are really no different than homes.  Build them right and continued development is possible.  Yes, facelifts are necessary from time to time to keep things fresh, but the hard work will have been done upfront.  Now back to the original question for a few minutes…

How often should you give your website a new facelift?

The honest answer in short form is probably just a little bit more frequently than you’re comfortable with.  Web technology changes from day to day—most sites can weather these intensely short term changes well when they have been designed with a forward-looking approach to begin with.

But even then, the realty is inevitable.  Sites do need to be updated and modernized from a development and technology standpoint just to keep on functioning well with current software and hardware (and also to remain attractive from an SEO standpoint).

And even more important than the behind the scenes technology outlook is the fact that current graphic design standards change even more rapidly.  Think about your favorite looking mainstream website for a minute…do you remember the last major design facelift it’s had?

Chances are, you’ve just answered, “probably not.”  After all, the mainstream sites change so gradually and so frequently to keep up with the latest trends in design and marketing that it’s difficult to notice abrupt improvements (but try an internet archive search for that same site 3 years ago, and you’ll most definitely find that an extreme facelift has indeed taken place over the years).

Same goes for your favorite magazines and other media—look at a current issue and then pull one from the archives, just a few years in the past.  While the main subjects and topics remain the same, major design and style changes have taken place over the years.

Your website visitors do have an eye for design (even if they don’t realize it).  Seriously, in the design and marketing driven world we all live in today, constant exposure to commercials and advertising—all featuring cutting-edge graphic design—is completely the norm.  We’re programmed to recognize and expect certain design components and trends even if we don’t realize its taking place.  It’s just subliminal.

So in an ideal world, if the time and financing permit, giving a website a new facelift needs to take place frequently, little by little, making gradual improvements and updates.  Every different industry and niche permits growth at a slightly different pace; you’ve got to be in tune with what your competitors are doing to stay sharp.

And even though in the real world, most of us aren’t able to refresh and give our sites facelifts on a day-to-day, or even month-to-month basis (like the top online players are doing), we still need to look at our websites at least once a year to give a them a solid review and determine if it’s time for a good facelift.  If there are any doubts, then the answer is, yes…a facelift is in order.

Remember, your website should be a ROI-building tool.  Keeping it fresh and up to date in the eyes of your visitors is an important investment that simply must be made.

1.    Use titles that capture reader (and searcher) attention.

Your headline is the single most important part of your entire blog post.  It’s what the searchers usually see in the SERPs (search engine results pages) and it’s what piques the interest of a potential reader to pursue the article further.

2.    Write your blog posts in a friendly, conversational tone.

Unless you’re in a very technical, professional, or academic field, it’s always good to keep your web writing as conversational as your topic and audience will allow.  Just talk naturally through your keyboard and let the words flow.  Be sure to grammar check once you’re all done by reading the post out loud—writing for your blog just got a whole lot easier!

3.    Use plenty of whitespace while writing your blog articles.

Whitespace means keeping your paragraphs brief (usually no more than 4 sentences), using sub headlines throughout your blog post, and otherwise ensuring that your copy doesn’t “appear” overwhelming to the eye.  If it just visually looks overwhelming, very few will actually go on the read the copy.

4.    Remember that bullet points and numbered lists make excellent blog copy.

This compliments the above rule about whitespace very nicely—but also stands on its own as a web writing principle.  It’s been proven that blog readers are attracted to quick and easy informative posts about the topics they’re interested in.  Lists and bullet points remain one of the top methods of delivering factual information in a quick and concise reader-friendly format.

5.    Cover a topic of interest with your blog posts.

This means planning and not just rambling about corporate policy or something else that’s really mundane to readers.  If you’re out of ideas, think about frequent questions that your customers ask (and answer them in conversational way through the blog).  That one always works in a bind—sometimes it helps to keep a swipe file list of potential blog post ideas handy so you can add ideas at any time they come to you in the normal course of your daily life.

6.    Consider including a relevant attention-grabbing image at the top of the post.

A picture has always been worth a thousand words…and nothing changes here when it comes to blogging.  Using an attention grabbing image can really make the difference if you’re having trouble drawing readers further into your blog copy.  Be creative and try and come up with stock photos that are colorful and somehow tell a story of their own.

7.    Show right away that you have extensive knowledge of the topic.

One way to do this is to share a few bullet point facts or statistics within the first couple of paragraphs of your post.  Sometimes this alone can make enough of an impact to catch a reader’s attention and keep their interest as they continue to read on.

8.    Know that while longer doesn’t necessarily make a blog post better, it does have more potential than a one paragraph blurb style blog post in the eye of the beholder.

Sometimes shorter is actually better too—but too many really short posts can send a message to the visitor that there might not be anything of value to read on the blog.  Getting this just right can be a challenging balancing act sometimes, but getting it right is worth the challenge.

9.    Integrate the basic principles of SEO in each and every blog post you write.

Think about important keywords that pertain to the topic you’re getting ready to tackle.  Make a list of those keyword phrases and at least try to include them where they fit naturally.  Also, include the single most important keyword phrase in the blog’s title.

10.    Don’t be afraid to use other popular blogs for inspiration.

This doesn’t mean copying them (in fact, by all means, you should definitely never copy them).  Instead, just look at their format and the kind of attention-grabbing headlines they use that make an impression on you.  They don’t even have to be topically related to your blog—the ideas and inspiration are universal.

Blogging is still alive and well.  Yep—it’s true.  Even with mass proliferation of the social media we’ve come to rely on today, and with the fact that in some ways blogs kind of pre-date social networking, they work really well as a cornerstone component of websites for a few practical reasons:

• Search engines love frequently updated blogs—which means your blog will help you bring in traffic to your site.

• Blogs are an ideal way to share the odds and ends—or news updates—that you might not ordinarily have a place for on your website.

• Visitors just like the conversational nature of blogs.  They can be catchy to read and foster some really respectable back and forth.

And the best part is that blogging is quite simple if you just commit to keeping up with it.  Here are 5 ways to get excellent results from your blog:

1. Stick to a schedule.

You don’t have to blog at the exact same hour each day or anything overly strict like that, but it is a good idea to keep a basic schedule and plan regular blog postings accordingly.  This way, visitors kind of get a feel for when you’ll be updating the blog with something new—whether it’s once a day or once a month.  Search engines like it too.  And if you want to fill in between the regular schedule with an occasional post, that’s icing on the cake…the more the merrier!

2. Use your blog as your social media hub.

Probably one of the most effective uses for your website’s blog is to use it as a central hub that all of your different social media broadcasts and campaigns kind of aim back towards.  It’s like the central foundation that all of your social outreach ties back into.  This way, your social media efforts still stand on their own, but they also lead visitors back to your site—such as through your blog—for the rest of the story.

3. Ensure your blog is SEO friendly.

When your blog is tuned and tweaked to be a SEO machine, it’s basically using its very organic nature to reach out to the search engines and say “Hey, this site has lots of helpful content that’s updated regularly…click here!”  Search engines love it when they can add super new content to their results pages—and the organized structure of a well-optimized blog really helps them do this very efficiently.

4. Write from the horse’s mouth.

The great thing about blogs and why they tend to be so attractive to visitors is that most people write their blog posts with a little bit less of a formal tone than they would write regular site copy (and posts are usually less ambitious than sales copy).  When writing a blog, it can be quite helpful to literally speak out loud and type what you’re speaking—just like having a conversation in person.  Maintain your professional edge of course, but be sure to make your blogs light and easy to ready for best results.  It kills the pressure.

5. Follow your theme.

One way to make your blog ultra effective is to have at least a rough idea of what it will offer to visitors.  Keeping with the informal, conversational nature that we’ve discussed above, it’s also a good idea to have some sort of theme—or at least a really solid idea of who your audience is—when developing and writing your posts.  In other words, if your blog is geared towards your customers, or turning search engine visitors in to leads or customers, then it’s probably not a good idea to use the blog for in-house communications as well.  Once you’ve figured out what the specific purpose of your blog will be, try and keep on point fairly closely.

Sure, there are some additional helpful ways to get the most from your blog—but by using these 5 tips for getting excellent results from your blog, you’ll definitely have all of the bases covered; you’ll be on the right track!

There was a time and a place for Flash and websites.  And while it has had a good run, unfortunately, Flash websites and video are just no longer very relevant in today’s existing web environment.  The reasons for the change are numerous—but more on that in a few minutes…

The good news is that there is a very viable and sensible replacement for Flash that’s pretty much in the final stages of going mainstream.  This technology is called HTML5 and is loaded with great new innovative features:

• It’s open to developers (free from the costly license fees).
• It’s easy on system resources like battery life and CPU demand.
• Great deal of flexibility when it comes to embedding video.
• New APIs like document editing and drag and drop functionality.
• The ability to use a much deeper list of fonts than traditional web development allows.
• And much, much more!

Even better is the fact that HTML5 has been endorsed by the big league players in the game, which should give it the boost and nurturing it needs to become a bonafide replacement for what Flash is now so commonly used for.  YouTube and Vimeo, two of the web’s most popular video streaming sites, are beta testing HTML5 right now, as they plan to replace their existing Flash-based videos with this new technology—it just doesn’t get much bigger than this.  Hopeful and encouraging news indeed!

So now let’s look back on the reasons why Flash is simply no longer an ideal solution.  Ready?

It’s expensive to work with. Specialized developers are required to work with a costly software environment to build Flash-based applications.  Enough said here.

It’s not mobile. The debate on the exact reasoning that Flash doesn’t work with the iPhone’s Safari web browser may not have been completely settled…but regardless of whether it’s Flash’s requirement for extensive processing power and battery life or it’s all about the licensing fees, one thing holds true—it still doesn’t work with the iPhone (or with the newly released iPad either).

It’s not SEO friendly. Even though Google does a better job now of understanding Flash-based websites than ever before, the bottom line is that sites that are entirely developed with this platform are still not SEO friendly at all.  HTML based sites are much more compatible with the search engines.

It’s not usability friendly. Flash sites cause all kinds of issues when it comes to usability.  Most of the time, simple copy and pasting is eliminated—which can really annoy savvy internet users.  Countless other display and compatibility problems can also stem from this form of web development.

It’s buggy. Because it works a little bit differently depending on the exact web browser, operating system, and hardware setup it’s being used on, the potential for a buggy situation is high.  It’s really difficult to determine if what looks and works great in the initial development environment will actually come across even remotely the same when a website visitor actually sees it on their device.

So, it’s time for the next wave of web multimedia technology to become a reality.  Hopefully HTML5 will take the reign as the new development standard!

Building a house and building a website are surprisingly similar in concept.  For example:

• Both should be based on a solid foundation.
• Both need to be created from the ground up, not from the top down.
• Both take a lot of hard work and attention to detail.
• Both are created with a particular group of features in mind.
• Both are based upon a design and building budget.

The concept is indeed very much the same.  So here’s the thing—you wouldn’t start building a house without blueprints, would you?  So why try to start building a website without planning it out first?

To start building a website without a well designed plan is a surefire way to produce chaos and drive the development expenses through the roof.  The final results may or may not turn out, but getting there in the first place is practically impossible without a plan.

So, what should a website blueprint consist of then?

Well, the plans for your new website need to encompass all of the components and designs to be used throughout the site.  These will normally include:

• A specific keyword use plan;
• The navigational structure to be used;
• A wireframe layout of the “schematics” of the site;
• Detailed design drawings;
• Sub-plans for additional website components like CMS or E-Commerce;
• Specifications for SEO functionality to be built into the website;
• Provisions for the code structure and hosting platforms to be used;
• And many more details.

Architects & Engineers

Architects—or in our website case, web designers—are naturally responsible for the overall design work and making it aesthetically correct.  The architects of a website are also on the frontline when it comes down to ensuring usability and providing for a first-rate visitor experience from the time they enter the site until the time they leave the site.  Just like designing a quality home, there’s a lot of work that goes into the design phase of a quality custom website—it’s a vital part of the overall project.

And then there are the engineers.  Engineers are typically called in to get the structural components of a construction project under wraps.  Just as they’re a significant part a the technical prowess that goes into traditional construction, engineers—in this case software engineers or programmers—are the ones that make sure the designer’s plans are structurally sound.  It is these programmers that figure out how to code and implement the design of the website and turn it into a functional, usable product.

Website Plans Pay Off

Planning first, and only then building a website according to the precise blueprint, is simply the most logical way to undertake a complex, multi-faceted project.  Precise planning pays off in countless ways—most prominently when it comes to ensuring a project will be completed on time, according to schedule, and on budget.  Remember, you wouldn’t start building a house without blueprints, so why try to start building a website without planning it out first?

From the initial stages of planning, to a complete finished product published and live online, how long does a web design project usually take?  Hmmm…a good question indeed.

First, the short answer: Depending on the complexity and type of the project, designing a new website usually takes anywhere from about 6 to 12 weeks from start to finish.

Now, in reality, it’s not always exactly this simple.  And since that’s kind of an ambiguous answer, let’s take a deeper look at the details and timelines of a typical Sleepless Media web design project.  Ready?

Weeks 1 – 2:  Lead Time

During the first week or two, we strive to get the project organized and all set up so it can correctly roll through the following project phases without a hitch.  When we say lead time, this means we’re planning and organizing the paperwork, collecting the deposit, and making sure we fully understand your project needs…all while gathering your logos, photos, and all other particulars for your unique project.  It is proper planning and mutual organization that ensures smooth projects.

Weeks 3 – 4:  Graphic Design Phase

This is the true “design” part of the project.  During our standard design phase, we’ll create up to three separate design mock ups.  Once the initial design direction is chosen with your consultation, we’ll begin doing requested revisions to get the design fine tuned to perfectly suit your organization’s desires.  Naturally, there is usually a reasonable amount of back and forth during this process to ensure that everything is just right—so the exact time frame for the design phase can vary quite a bit from one client to the next, all depending on the specific needs.  It is always our goal to be as transparent as possible and keep you fully up to speed on the progress and time estimates.

Weeks 5 – 6 Weeks:  HTML Coding

This phase of a web design project is where we take the finalized graphic design and “slice” it into individual components that will all be tied together with code to make a cohesive HTML site.  This typically involves all static HTML work, CSS programming, and adding all basic JavaScript functionality as necessary.  Sounds complicated, but in simpler terms, this is just taking the visual design and coding it to work for the web.  The last step of this coding phase is extensive cross-browser/platform testing to make sure the site will work perfectly with all major systems.  Finally, once the HTML coding process is all complete and there is now a basic working website to interact with, we’ll ask for your review and complete a round of revisions at this time if it’s needed.

Note: For basic static sites, the process is more or less complete after this phase, some final testing, content addition, and launch.  As we continue, we’ll be referring to additional functionality beyond the most basic static sites.

Weeks 7 – 8:  Custom CMS/PHP Programming

If you’ve chosen to have a CMS-enabled site (Content Management System), we’ll get to right to work on the programming required to accomplish this functionality just as soon as the static HTML Coding process is complete, tested, and approved.  Once the CMS programming is complete and tested, we’ll work with you to plan the addition of all of the content to be added via the new system.

Weeks 9 – 12:  E-Commerce Creation / Additional Features

For more complex web projects—such as those featuring full E-Commerce shopping cart and payment systems, we’ll usually need up to three more weeks to implement all of the required systems and for setup and testing.  If additional features above and beyond the norm are specified for a unique project, it is also during this final phase that we’ll work to complete these features.

Wrapping It Up…

So basically, each major phase of the Sleepless Media web design project takes about 1 to 2 weeks, making the entire project length anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks total—again, depending on the complexity and feature set of the particular website.  The timeframe is not always set in stone—in rare situations, we’ve even been able to complete full e-commerce projects in just 2 weeks and full static website in only 4 days.

However, it is very important to remember that there are a lot of moving parts that must be finely tuned to work together in creating website.  Doing it right does take time.

One thing is certain in all cases.  Web design projects always go more smoothly when all necessary materials, approvals, and feedback are received in a timely manner.  A great two-way stream of communication is key and we’ll always do our best to ensure a well-organized project for you!

It’s no secret that among web designers, web geeks, and web enthusiasts of all kinds, Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) has had a laundry list of problems right from day one…and it’s definitely no better now.  The truth is plain and simple.  It’s time for everyone to give up on IE6 and quit supporting it, once and for all.

Why?

First of all, the game has changed a whole lot over what has nearly been a decade since IE6 has been in existence.  For a good part of the browser’s early life, it simply had no competition…no one else to keep it in check or to ensure that web browsing was being done in the best, most competitive way possible.  Of course, now, we have probably about a dozen or so good web browsers to choose from (all free to use).  There’s simply no longer an excuse to use such a dated web browser any more.

Facebook, Digg, Google, YouTube, and many other brand name players in the business are throwing in the towel with IE6.  Enough is enough when trying to support and build your web platforms to work with an internet browser that seems to have a mind of its own and is loaded with bugs and security flaws just the same.

Supporting IE6 is a lot like having to develop and architect every website and web-based software system twice—once for the majority of mainstream standards-compliant web browsers, and then all over again for Internet Explorer 6.  It’s difficult to make modern code work correctly with the black sheep browser, and to be completely honest, it’s just not worth the time, hassle, or money when there are much more recent and cross-compatible browsers in mainstream use these days.

Security is another reason altogether to get rid of IE6 right away.  Hackers have long known about exploits that utilize IE6 to seize control of a user’s computer system.  These issues have never really been addressed or patched to a successful resolution.  IE6 is and remains a significant threat to security.

Unfortunately, there are still a good number of IE6 users out there.  It’s estimated that up to 20% still use the ancient browser as their primary means of using the web.  If this happens to be you—it’s time to move on.  With a modern browser, your web experience will be much quicker, safer, and much closer to how the website designers and developers actually intended it to be.

Alternate Browsers

There are many different directions to go with when choosing a new browser to replace IE6 with.  A few of the more popular options include:

• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome
• Apple Safari
• Opera
• Internet Explorer 8

The best thing to do would probably be to download and try each of them to really see and get a feel for which ones you like best.  One thing is certain—they’re all heads and tails above the user experience offered by IE6.

Again, many of the sites you probably use on a daily basis have already stopped supporting or ensuring their sites are backwards compatible with IE6.  And as new web design standards like HTML5 continue to evolve, using a modern web browser will enable you to appreciate an up-to-date experience.  For designers, archaic browsers have been a huge hurdle that will soon become a thing of the past.  When IE6 no longer has a large enough market share of users, then new technologies and design standards can really begin to happen on a major scale.

Please Upgrade ASAP

If you’re still an IE6 user, it’s time to upgrade now or forever hold your peace.  And by all means, please encourage everyone you know to give it up as well and finally move in to a new decade and a new era for web design.