It may seem strange that I should single out a specific version of a specific web browser for its own section in my philosophy statement. But Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) is pivotal enough to web design that such attention is warranted.

IE6 was a boon to web designers when it was first introduced -- in 2001. It was a significant improvement over the previous version (IE5.5), and it took advantage of a lot of what were then cutting-edge web technologies. Plus, at the time, Microsoft's browser enjoyed an unprecedented dominance over the web browser market.

But a lot has changed in the intervening years. The only thing that hasn't changed is... IE6. Because it was the default web browser that shipped with Windows XP, it is on a huge number of computers in the world. And even though Microsoft is now up to version 9 of Internet Explorer, and is making a concerted effort to get all users to make the free upgrade, IE6 is becoming the browser that won't die.

The fact is, IE6 holds back the web. A number of tremendously powerful web technologies have emerged over the course of this decade, but lack of adoption of newer web browsers -- the longevity of IE6 -- has held back their widespread implementation. At last, however, with Windows 7; with the surging popularity of alternative web browsers like Firefox; and with the emergence of a new class of Internet-capable devices -- smartphones like the iPhone, Blackberry, Palm Pre and Android OS -- IE6 has seen its market share erode into single digits.

Many web designers, myself included, have one thing to say about all of this: good riddance! By abandoning support for IE6 -- or, at least, by offering only limited support -- we can at last bring the web to its full current potential.

Further reading: IE6 Countdown