We need to have a talk. Hi, I’m Patrick, the Worst Thing Ever web foreman.

I’m sorry. I see you are using Internet Explorer 9 or below. You should really try one of these browsers:

Google Chrome
Fast, lightweight, and simple. Very fast. Made by Google, and integrates very well with Google. Did I mention fast?

Mozilla Firefox
Fast, mediumweight, and extensible. Firefox is quickly becoming the industry standard due to the huge library of extensions available to enhance the way it works, its standards compliance, and its frequent updates for speed and security.

Internet Explorer 10
Better and safer than what you have. I’d still recommend one of the others, but it’s better.

Any of these browsers will serve you well, and, incidentally, display this site as it was intended to be displayed. I personally use Chrome for my day to day needs, but have been a fan of Firefox for years. If you absolutely must continue using Internet Explorer, please upgrade your version.

Why?

I have tried to accomodate the eccentricities of Internet Explorer since before version 4.0, and especially with 6.0. I am a big believer in reaching as broad an audience as I can, and so I have spent countless hours dumbing down site designs and working out cross-platform hacks to accomodate a user base that doesn’t know the impact their browser choice has on the internet’s development.

I’m done. Internet Explorer 10 is out now. It’s joining the rest of the web when it comes to most standards. You should really upgrade.

This isn’t just a matter of me having high-minded design sensibilities and opinions about web standards that your browser cannot properly render. This is now a large-scale security risk. You are actively making the internet a less safe place by browsing with older versions of IE. They can be easily and covertly infected with little to no effort these days, and once your computer is compromised it can be used in all kinds of insidious ways, in concert with other computers, to cause real harm to other people. This is to say nothing of the personal data you may be giving away to people in the process.

I know, it seems to work well enough, and maybe you aren’t really concerned with having the newest, flashiest technology. I am telling you that this is not new and flashy. You are driving a 1962 Chevy Nova across the internet. It is not just a bad experience for you, it is liable to explode and take a number of people with it.

I am not writing this to berate you, however. I am here to help you reduce this risk to yourself and others, and enhance your web browsing experience at the same time. You’d be amazed at the speed difference even in newer versions of Internet Explorer. Other browsers are even faster! They also allow for a more engaging and rich graphical layout system. The same sites you visit now could be much more readable and clear.

Thanks!
.p