Fair enough Japh, I do respect your opinion on the matter, but I think we'll have to agree to disagree with each other :) Fundamentally, for me it's an issue of ethics so you're going to find it difficult to sway me.
On the other point about IE6's remaining life-cycle, I suppose where it goes from now is anybodies guess? My prediction of it being of no concern by this time next year is based on the rumours going round of Microsoft dropping support for Win2K (and therefore IE6) early next year. If that's true (which it might not be) then we can expect corps still using win2K to start getting their asses in gear some time soon. From my point of view, as soon as IE6 use drops below 2 or 3 percent then it's really not worth losing any sleep over, and it's feasible that could happen by the middle of next year? But perhaps I am being hopeful :)
So sorry! I was only just alerted to your 'boo! I missed it somehow...
Anyway, I still rather disagree with you that users would be bothered by this behaviour. Most security software does similar things. It's not deception, it's using a visual cue that user's are familiar with to communicate that they ought to take action and upgrade. Which is precisely the case! Else why would Microsoft have released IE7 as a high importance security update?
Yes it looks like a warning message, because it is one, and yes it emulates Microsoft warning messages... because it's about Microsoft software. But I doubt user's are going to click it, download IE8 and upgrade, and then turn around and say "Hang on! I've been tricked into upgrading my software to the latest version!!" and get mad ;)
Also, I wish I could agree with you about IE6 only having a few months left in it... Corporates will still be using IE6 this time next year, I guarantee you. But hopefully, they'll be well into testing later version on their SOEs and rolling them out across their networks by late next year! :D
On the other point about IE6's remaining life-cycle, I suppose where it goes from now is anybodies guess? My prediction of it being of no concern by this time next year is based on the rumours going round of Microsoft dropping support for Win2K (and therefore IE6) early next year. If that's true (which it might not be) then we can expect corps still using win2K to start getting their asses in gear some time soon. From my point of view, as soon as IE6 use drops below 2 or 3 percent then it's really not worth losing any sleep over, and it's feasible that could happen by the middle of next year? But perhaps I am being hopeful :)
So sorry! I was only just alerted to your 'boo! I missed it somehow...
Anyway, I still rather disagree with you that users would be bothered by this behaviour. Most security software does similar things. It's not deception, it's using a visual cue that user's are familiar with to communicate that they ought to take action and upgrade. Which is precisely the case! Else why would Microsoft have released IE7 as a high importance security update?
Yes it looks like a warning message, because it is one, and yes it emulates Microsoft warning messages... because it's about Microsoft software. But I doubt user's are going to click it, download IE8 and upgrade, and then turn around and say "Hang on! I've been tricked into upgrading my software to the latest version!!" and get mad ;)
Also, I wish I could agree with you about IE6 only having a few months left in it... Corporates will still be using IE6 this time next year, I guarantee you. But hopefully, they'll be well into testing later version on their SOEs and rolling them out across their networks by late next year! :D