Slashdot Mirror
When Should You Stop Support for Software?
hahafaha asks: "I am currently working on a website for a small organization. We (I am not alone in this) have a beta version ready, and are currently testing the site on browsers. We have tried all of the big browsers (Firefox, IE, opera), as well as other browsers, such as lynx, links, w3m and even NetFront. So, when can one decide that they will stop supporting a system. Obviously, going (for example) down to IE 1 is crazy, but is IE 3 crazy? This is not only relevant to web design but to any programming at all. When, for example, can you say that I will *not* support a certain version of Windows. Can you say that now about Windows 98? How about 95?"
Yeah, simple economics. Use the same simple economics Microsoft does: make sure the platform you want to promote works, and don't worry about the others. I can't think of a single reason that should be o.k. for Microsoft, but not o.k. for everyone else too.
You design for the military and you want us to feel sympathy for you?
Don't they still pay for things like "the $269 three-in. wrench; the $9,609 antenna hexagon wrench; the $10,630 antenna pulley puller tool" (http://www.webcom.com/ncecd/bp18.html#price)