Recently, a report surfaced on the interwebs that stated that users who browse the internet with the standard issued Microsoft Internet Explorer have measurably lower than average intelligence.  While it turned out to be purely a hoax, it could cause an inquiring mind to question the person that would settle for such a buggy internet browser (like IE 6-7) that is notorious for overlooking industry standards.

Read more about the bugs and the developers who avoid them after the jump.

Windows-based PC users should consider the advantages of free alternatives that have consistently led the way in embracing contemporary HTML standards while creating a better user experience with interface and performance. The notable browser alternatives to IE include: Apple’s Safari, Google’s Chrome (both are recommended), and Mozilla’s Firefox. Version 6 of Firefox has recently been released to much praise. If you have to use Internet Explorer, Microsoft released IE 9 a while back but limit the upgrade to Windows Vista and Windows 7 even though Mozilla, Apple and Google still support the Windows XP platform.

Even though most in the web design/development industry abhor IE and prefer other browsers, web developers should be taken to task when they ignore all but their preferred internet browser and conduct tests solely on it. A site should be able to work well on all of the most current web browsers, even the most buggy of them.  So, while the IQ of people that use browsers like the older versions of Internet Explorer may not be sub-par, it would be reasonable to question the credibility of developers that don’t take into account full support of contemporary compliance-based alternatives.

We strive to develop sites that excel across many different browsers. It’s a buggy job, but somebody’s got to do it.