I saw an article on
the BBC News technology web site that said PayPal would start warning users who have
older, less secure browsers and eventually would block them from accessing their site.
My first reaction when I read that there are users using IE 3 and 4 to access PayPal
was "you gotta be kidding me". I knew that there are people using older browsers out
there but I always assumed that they were like my parents who are on dial-up,
visit the 2 or 3 web sites they know, and don't do anything else. They don't
feel the need to upgrade their computer because it is faster than they can type and
I also figured they weren't using the latest browser because downloading
IE 7 would take too long. I was surprised that these people would be using PayPal.
The more I thought about it I decided I know people like that. One of their favorite
web sites is EBay and they love to buy and sell items, always looking for a good bargain.
I can then see how PayPal would be getting involved with people using older browsers.
I applaud them in their role to help protect the Internet because it will help all
of us to be safer.
I am looking forward to the time when the use of Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificates
becomes widespread and we will see users looking for the green address bar just like
they look for the lock icon for SSL now. I am also holding out hope that at some point
in the future we will see Microsoft putting out patches on a DVD and making them available
at Wal-Mart or other large retailers where people like my parents can get them and
update their computers. As time goes by I see fewer and fewer reasons for Microsoft
to go through the cost but it would definitely make it so I wouldn't have to spend
most of a night updating computers when I go to visit family. Until Microsoft starts
dropping DVDs with the latest patches I (and a lot of other people in IT) will
just plan on giving up some sleep each year to update older computers.
Read the complete post at http://www.grokdev.com/Blogs/scott/2008/04/18/PayPalToRejectUnsafeBrowsers.aspx