Not 2.0’s Gorilla
In early 2009 we made the decision that ExpressionEngine 2.0 will not support Internet Explorer 6. Its an issue we wrestled with from the very beginning and at first we committed to it. But when it came up again we decided to put our foot into IE6’s backside and show it the door.
The entire reason we’re making ExpressionEngine 2.0 a CodeIgniter application is because we want to establish it as a valid platform for years to come. It was a forward thinking decision, one that has informed everything else about 2.0’s design and implementation. IE6 is not forward thinking and hasn’t been considered a “modern browser” for 5 years.
We know IE6 is still in significant use but to paraphrase Capistrano developer Jamis Buck, “Something has to give. In this case (and among other things), it’s Internet Explorer 6. Microsoft may be an 800lb gorilla, but it’s not EE 2.0’s gorilla.”
What this means specifically is that ExpressionEngine 2.0’s Control Panel themes and the Example Site will not officially support IE6. Our target for EE 2.0 is Internet Explorer 7 and up. On the front end, its completely up to the team implementing EE 2.0 on whether to support IE6 or not. That’s exactly how EE 1.6.7 works now and there is nothing about 2.0 that would prevent a person from creating a site that displays perfectly in IE6. We’re talking specifically about the CP themes that will be included in 2.0.
Of course, we can’t ignore IE6 entirely. We know that especially in government and education its still (unfortunately) an important browser that must be dealt with. This is part of the reason why ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 will continue to be available for purchase after ExpressionEngine 2.0’s release. If you or your clients absolutely need IE6 support on the Control Panel side, you’ll have the tried and tested power of EE 1.6.7 on your side.
This week we invited the second round of developers to start converting their add-ons for ExpressionEngine 2.0 using Kaylee. The Dev Preview is going very smoothly and the new CodeIgniter code base well received. If you applied and haven’t been invited yet, we thank you for your patience. We’re working people in as fast as we can and once you do get in, you’ll appreciate the amount of direct access you have to the EE dev team.
The next EE 2.0 update will take place around April 17th.
Hat tip to John Gruber’s Not My Gorilla post on Daring Fireball for rekindling the discussion.
