Another example of Microsoft’s horrendously awful marketing lately. Apple uses Justin Long and John Hodgman. Fun and clever. Microsoft uses bullshit laptop buyers in a Best Buy going for cheap instead of quality, and now, projectile vomiting.

Ironically, it’s how I feel when writing CSS bug fixes for IE6.

What will we see from them to market Windows 7? Someone with a stomach virus and diarrhea thanks to a lesser operating system? I can’t wait.

http://www.apple.com/safari/what-is.html

Nice to see advanced web design/development feature support. It’s nice to see a major computer company pushing innovation on the web.

The browser wars wage on.

I’ve been asked why I haven’t fixed some issues with my site that come up in IE6. I’ve decided that, while I could (and maybe should), I’d like to encourage an IE6 user who checks out this site to come enjoy the tastiness of tabbed browsing and more web standards compliance. Experience the web applications that will change your future, like Gmail and Mobile Me, with unique features made possible by new browsers.

And that’s where cars differ from web browsers. While some classic cars can still be restored and have an elegant beauty and design, justifying a wave of nostalgia, few look back at old computer technology like 5.25″  and 3.5″ floppy drives, read-only CD-ROMs, and dial-up Internet access and think “Wow, I really want to go back there. It was better.”

Nope, those things are jalopies. Wikipedia states: “When a jalopy gets to a state in which its maintenance becomes too expensive, its owner would be required to make a decision about its fate.” IE6 is a resource-guzzling mess and should be retired as soon as possible. It’s becoming too time-consuming and expensive to justify resources used for hacks and fixes. We designers and developers have a responsibility to encourage its demise. Innovation depends on it. Let’s take the hand of IE6 users and pull them out of the Dark Ages.

Get Firefox, Safari, Opera, or at least Internet Explorer 8.

UPDATE: Probably the best solution on how to deal with IE6 style sheets that I’ve seen. I will adopt this method immediately, although I’ve kind of done that already by informing my clients that the site won’t match pixel-for-pixel in IE6. But I won’t ever leave them hanging on the functionality.

I know IE6 still has a significant user base, but the likely reader of EvanWiener.com is the kind of web surfer that wouldn’t be caught dead using IE6, unless they’re forced to. And even if they are behind a corporate wall, if they’re a web professional, they most likely have access to a better browser.

Next up, new designs for headers and I’ll be designing my first iPhone Home Screen icon.

It’s interesting that we have to struggle to justify our existence to many business people who don’t value what we offer, or refute all attempts at the return on investment good designers can deliver. We also justify our existence by insisting that design could and should lead development, or that we’re not simply a brand police that slows down product development.

We need to articulate our value beyond the impression that design is just a new coat of paint on a perfectly fine working car. Our work should help prevent users from closing the browser in frustration, from closing the tab before clicking “Checkout”, or the potential demo not leading to a buy in. If comparison is done on a nicely designed interface to one that “technically works” but lacks desinger input, the designed one will sell more. Isn’t that worth the cost of design? You’ve wasted hours making a functional application or product that few people want to use, or worse, don’t want to buy. Congratulations, you’re limiting sales potential.

Realtors call it curb appeal and in the newly competitive real estate market with more buyers than sellers, you better make an effort on the quality of your home interior and exterior if you expect to get the price you’re asking for.

It’s why iPod and iPhone users generally have such a good impression of Apple as a brand. The device design invites people to pick it up and use it, with a minimal interface that has less buttons exterior buttons. It’s seemingly simple, but incredibly versatile. I can get more done faster with my iPhone than my old Blackberry, and the experience of buying new content, watching a show or listening to music on my phone is far better for a $200 device, and it’s the design that impresses as much as anything. Now, AT&T just needs to do a better job of getting their system to match Apple’s quality.

It’s time we realized that we don’t simply make things pretty, we add quality.