It's time to upgrade or switch to Firefox. Google is phasing out support for Internet Explorer 6.0 and other old browsers

Keeping your web browser up to date is always a good idea to make sure websites function properly for you, but now you will soon start having problems with Gmail and Google Apps if you don't, according to an email I got from Google today (see below). This is an aggressive move on the part of Google that advances the field and will ultimately benefit everybody. I actively use Google's Chrome browser and Mozilla Firefox, both of which I strongly recommend over Internet Explorer.

Chrome and Firefox are available as free downloads and offer an easy upgrade path from Internet Explorer. You will be able to import your bookmarks/favorites and browser history. If you use cybercafes regularly to access the Internet rather than your own computer, I recommend you download Mozilla Firefox Portable Edition and install it on your USB flash drive. With the portable edition, you will be able to carry your bookmarks and history with you everywhere you go. (You can follow Portable Apps on Twitter @PortableApps )

Dear Google Apps admin,​

In order to continue to improve our products and deliver more sophisticated features and performance, we are harnessing some of the latest improvements in web browser technology.  This includes faster JavaScript processing and new standards like HTML5.  As a result, over the course of 2010, we will be phasing out support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 as well as other older browsers that are not supported by their own manufacturers.

We plan to begin phasing out support of these older browsers on the Google Docs suite and the Google Sites editor on March 1, 2010.  After that point, certain functionality within these applications may have higher latency and may not work correctly in these older browsers. Later in 2010, we will start to phase out support for these browsers for Google Mail and Google Calendar.

Google Apps will continue to support Internet Explorer 7.0 and above, Firefox 3.0 and above, Google Chrome 4.0 and above, and Safari 3.0 and above.

Starting this week, users on these older browsers will see a message in Google Docs and the Google Sites editor explaining this change and asking them to upgrade their browser.  We will also alert you again closer to March 1 to remind you of this change.

In 2009, the Google Apps team delivered more than 100 improvements to enhance your product experience.  We are aiming to beat that in 2010 and continue to deliver the best and most innovative collaboration products for businesses.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,

The Google Apps team