Dear IE6 –

Since you came to being in the late summer of 2001, our relationship has been tenuous at best. Sure, you were better than IE5.5, but I soon found my mouse wandering to the more standards compliant ladies in the room – like Firefox, Safari, and Opera. It wasn’t that I wanted to not like you. We just had a hard time due to the fact that you never quite understood my position(ing) of things. From the double float margin bug, to you cutting off what I had to say arbitrarily, we just seemed to fight all the time.

And then came png. This new thing, which is so helpful to me and others who relate to you, which just caused you to pee your pants and act like it was a ghost really made things much harder on me and my design friends to create interesting designs.

Well, I have to tell you IE6: we’re through. I’ve been trying to gain the courage to tell you this for many months, but haven’t had the courage. However, with the recent announcements by YouTube and Basecamp that they’re dumping you too, I feel now is the time. I’m moving on to continue my fling with standards-based browsers, who in all of their wonder actually pay attention to my needs. They really get me, and go out of their way to try and understand the language I’m speaking.

Sure, we’ll still run into each other from time to time. I’m just not going to go out of my way to make things work out just for you. Sure, we’ll still have a “functional” relationship – but I’m not going to waste my time trying to make things pretty anymore. I don’t have the time nor the endurance to do it.

So, goodbye IE6. We’ll see you around (although hopefully less and less). Trust me when I say, it’s not me – IT’S YOU!

Cordially,

Josh

P.S. I’m sure I’m not the only one who is ready to say good riddance to IE6. If you’re ready, add your name to this letter by “signing” it in your comments.