Internet Explorer is probably the worst browser out there among commonly used browsers. By commonly used browser I mean the following :

• Internet Explorer 7
• Internet Explorer 6
• Firefox 2
• Safari

Of course there are other rogue browsers that are rarely used, like Camino, Netscape, and some other nameless ones that most people do not know about, but the above 4 are the most frequently used browsers in the world right now.

Among all of them, Internet Explorer has, perhaps, the worst parsing and display system. It has problems with displaying PNGs (alpha layers will show as a weird light blue) while the CSS parsing as well as certain Javascript command handling are limited. Also the security vulnerabilities are not very nice either. Oh, did I mention, IE6 is the only one among the above list that does NOT support tabbed browsing? That means that if you wanted to have multiple web pages open while you navigate the World Wide Web, you need multiple windows open.

Many people still use IE6 because they are simply unaware of what is available to them - either switch to Firefox, or use Internet Explorer 7. Compared to IE6, the two browsers I recommend have far better parsing, security, and usability, with less errors.

Now let’s think about this from the industry perspective. Web development becomes more time consuming if IE6 compatibility is demanded, and that means higher production costs for websites, as well as bigger headaches for web developers like myself. The faster IE6 is phased out of common use, the more efficient our industry will be as a whole. Money will be saved, and time as well.

In an effort to convert more people to use Firefox or Internet Explorer 7, I have put a little addition on my company website for Synchronous Design & Marketing (www.synchronous.ca). If the website detects that it is opened by IE6 (or God forbid, lower than that), it will show a black box in the top space which is normally blank, and ask people to upgrade their browsers, since the one they have are outdated. Check out the following screenshot.

There’s always debate and hype about which type of computer is better. Should you buy a Microsoft base computer with Windows Vista or XP on it for business computation purposes? Or use an Apple computer with the OSX Leopard installed in order to experience smooth and easy computing with more drag-and-drop? Is Apple more stable? But isn’t Windows better for software compatibility and high-caliber business applications?

It is true that, overall, Apples are more stable, and are less likely to crash. But then there’s the issue of software. Just this week I had a major mix-up with a client because my Macbook Pro with OSX Leopard did not read the docX file from my client’s Office 2007 properly. It wasted quite a bit of time and energy and it sucked. I used to have a hard time backing up software as there was nothing too solid built into Windows XP or Vista that came even close to the ease of use and the power of Time Machine, which is built into the OSX 10.5 (Leopard is the nickname). But then most CRMs are tailored to send synchronization data to Office Outlook 2007, not Mail or iCal. Not to mention, my blackberry synchronization software does not work on my computer and it always errors out, killing half the functionalities of my handheld.

My Macbook pro does run the Adobe CS3 suite quite fast and smoothly with very little margin for error or slowing down. And the expose and stack features are just amazing for productivity. But then I still miss the interface of Microsoft Excel which was much more technical, while Numbers 08, my Apple, feels more like a granny’s software with its short list of functions and menus, and the overly “easy-to-use” feel to it. It’s a spreadsheet program and I expect a hundred buttons, not thirty. But then that’s simply a matter of preference I guess.

I remember the age old problems with Windows XP of not being able to shut down the computer due to some error, or that problem where a virus would infiltrate within seconds of booting unless you patch your Service Pack 2 immediately before connecting to the internet without a firewall. Routers did more than just route - it was important to start up your computer for the first time unless you already had the latest patch pre-installed. And then there was that Windows Vista problem where the wireless network was fine but the LAN connection would be a 50/50 for connectivity, not to mention it would slow down a lot trying to perform its fancy graphic effects not meant for Windows based systems.

Now my Mac faces similar problems where, it often loses internet connectivity after a sleep-wake cycle, and often fails to shut down. When it fails to shut down, I need to force reboot it, and when that happens, my entire external harddrive that contains the Time Machine needs to be re-indexed, which means for 4 hours my computer will be sluggish. And then I just faced a problem of iChat not allowing me to add my friend Gary Lee. Danielle Nagami was added successfully (I guess I do have better luck with the girls!).

My conclusion after going through all of the major Microsoft Operating Systems, as well as switching to Apple with convincing from some friends, is that ALL COMPUTERS JUST SUCK EQUALLY, and problems will never stop because nothing is perfect. So I will just shut the hell up, not complain, and simply do my best to try to fix each bug as they come along. Microsoft’s claim that Vista is the most stable and functional OS ever was a scam, and so was Apple’s claim that “It just works.” It’s all a sack full of crap just like Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy. It’s a bundle of deceits just like the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and successful democracies installed in all of US conquered territories. It’s a… OK I’ve run out of analogies. Computers suck, just like Britney Spears.. and Clay Aiken.. I’d make a joke about Heath Ledger sucking in Brokeback Mountain but that would be disrespectful cause he just died.