Google Browser Support for Google Apps
On Wednesday, Google announced (Gmail Bag) it would soon only support recent versions of popular browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari) for Google Apps. By recent versions, Google would support the current and last versions of that browser as it focuses on new capabilities available to modern browsers through HTML5. This change in discontinuing support for older browsers is schedule to take place on August 1, 2011. On this date, Google will no longer support Firefox 3.5, Internet Explorer 7, and Safari 3. This lost of support will be on a rolling basis (each time a new version is released, Google will start supporting that version and stop supporting the third oldest one).
It behooves users to keep their browsers up-to-date in order to take advantage of all the benefits available with the new capabilities housed in modern browsers. Initially when this change takes place, apps such as Gmail desktop notification for email and chat messages, and Google Calendar may not work properly and eventually would not work at all. So as stated by Venkat Panchapakesan, Vice President of Engineering at Google, “As the world moves more to the web, these new browsers are more than just a modern convenience, they are a necessity for what the future holds.” Others are taking strides to help users transition to current browsers such as: Microsoft (Internet Explorer 6 Countdown, Apple (Apple – HTML5), and Mozilla (Showcased HTML5 through videos) to name a few. Vendors are looking to the future and embracing HTML5 through their various applications.
HTML5 dominating the Web and putting HTML4 out to pasture is not in the very near future; however, at the rate times are changing and technological advances are emerging it does not hurt one to stay abreast of modern technology and have fun doing so.
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