8 Comments

Explorer Destroyer – Forcing IE usage below 50%

November 11, 2005 by in Stupid,Tech with 8 Comments

At one point, I would have considered myself an anti-IE evangelist. The browser you decide to use as your default is a personal preference. A computer system is only as safe as the user is knowledgeable. If you’ve done your homework, no browser is invincible when it comes to security vulnerabilities. [Known vulnerabilities: Firefox & IE]

Explorer Destroyer

Although it may not hurt to promote the usage of an alternative browser, forcing readers to download an alternative is shameful and bad web etiquette. Nonetheless, Explorer Destroyer offers a script which will auto-detect IE usage and insert a similar banner to the one above. The script comes in three flavors: Level 1 (“Gentle Encouragement” – inserts a small banner above your webpage), Level 2 (“Semi-Serious” – Replaces your page with a banner touting the benefits of FF and a link to continue on to your page), or Level 3 (“Dead Serious” – Replaces your page completely with the above banner and no option to continue viewing your page).

The goal is to reach a < 50% market usage for Internet Explorer. Good intentions? Questionable execution? Thoughts? I know it’s a great way to drive away readers!


  • http://beszeljukmac.com dombi

    Here is a similar approach, from a different website. They place a “Too Cool for IE” image somewhere (usually in the bottom right corner) on the webpage. This image then links back to their site promoting other browsers.

    Some find might find this a little much, but then again there are plenty of websites out there that are optimized for IE, and leave the rest outside.

    http://www.w3junkies.com/toocool/

  • Derek

    The too cool for IE version is a much more subtle and respective method for promoting alternative browsers. Unfortunately, the transparent ribbon or button PNGs or GIFs do not always display correctly in IE :(

  • Jace

    I’ve reached plenty of pages that won’t allow Firefox, so I have a hard time feeling sympathy towards IE for anything.

  • http://uneasysilence.com Derek

    Does anyone know of a website that list Firefox or IE unfriendly sites?

  • http://www.uneasysilence.com/archive/2005/11/4577/ .: UNEASYsilence :. » Blog Archive » Kill Bill’s Browser – Take the web. With a vengeance.

    [...] A more humorous take compared to Destroyer Explorer for ridding the net of Internet Explorer. [...]

  • http://beszeljukmac.com dombi

    Derek, if you need an IE version of the Too Cool sign, visit our website. I fixed the code for IE. :-)

  • http://joeanderson.co.uk/blog/ Joe Anderson

    I think this goes against everything Firefox stands for, freedom.

    By forcing people to use Firefox you are taking away your freedom. Also, if Firefox get’s too popular it will become very insecure like IE.

  • http://www.pesticidejunkie.com Martin

    I’m all for promoting browsers that offer better css support than IE, but Explorer Destroyer is wrong on so many levels, Joe Anderson makes a very good point about freedom and the ethics of firefox.

    Personally i think the Explorer Destroyer warnings are as pushy as a Double Glazing salesman on commission, the whole thing stinks of cheap sales talk. Visitors will be put off by this. Some people don’t even know that other browsers even exist and they trust MS and IE without question because they don’t know any better – the Explorer Destroyer comes across as spam, which is what it is.

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