Sunday, April 20, 2008
Can't Drive 98
So Paypal recently announced that they are going to start blocking older browsers, and by older they mean "Internet Explorer 4" and "Internet Explorer 3". Those browsers, released in 1996 and 1997, don't have phishing filters (philters?) and are substantially more vulnerable than, well, anything released since 1998. Two things jump out at me.
First, these older browsers are vulnerable enough that the potential loss of business from scamming people with these browsers outweighs the potential loss of these customers--and in a "customer's always right" world, Paypal's willingness to spurn people is not insignificant. Second, people are still using IE3 and IE4!!!
Now, I understand resistance to change. I know a few people who still run Windows 98, but they are few and far between and, it's worth noting, have late model Towncars. But browsers are free and many (if not most) of the updates in the last decade have been worthwhile--not just phishing filters, but pop-up blockers and tabbed browsing. It's not a Vista/XP issue in which someone can reasonably argue that the 6 year old system is better than the new one. Staying too far behind is a bit like driving a car without an airbag--it's allowed, but do so at your own risk!
Paypal has decided it's no longer absorbing that risk. Kudos. Everyone else, update, at least to Firefox 2 or IE7--your system will thank you. As for me? I just updated to Firefox 3, and one of these days I'll update my car to something with an airbag.
First, these older browsers are vulnerable enough that the potential loss of business from scamming people with these browsers outweighs the potential loss of these customers--and in a "customer's always right" world, Paypal's willingness to spurn people is not insignificant. Second, people are still using IE3 and IE4!!!
Now, I understand resistance to change. I know a few people who still run Windows 98, but they are few and far between and, it's worth noting, have late model Towncars. But browsers are free and many (if not most) of the updates in the last decade have been worthwhile--not just phishing filters, but pop-up blockers and tabbed browsing. It's not a Vista/XP issue in which someone can reasonably argue that the 6 year old system is better than the new one. Staying too far behind is a bit like driving a car without an airbag--it's allowed, but do so at your own risk!
Paypal has decided it's no longer absorbing that risk. Kudos. Everyone else, update, at least to Firefox 2 or IE7--your system will thank you. As for me? I just updated to Firefox 3, and one of these days I'll update my car to something with an airbag.
Labels: technology
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