Bootstrap: Drop IE9 and IE10 in Bootstrap v4

[fatihhayri]

Bootstrap v4 drop IE9 and IE10

http://gs.statcounter.com/ last 3 months

http://gs.statcounter.com/#all-browser_version_partially_combined-ww-monthly-201512-201602-bar

[cvrebert]

X-Ref: #16310, #13944

[cvrebert]

I'm doubtful that the Core Team would be eager to deal with the backlash that removing IE9 support would cause (much less IE10). Wait for Bootstrap v5, probably. :smile:
CC: @mdo

[cvrebert]

So, I had to rejigger the graph to only Desktop browsers to get it to break out numbers for IE9 & IE10 specifically, but after doing that:

• IE9: 1.37%
• IE10: 1.35%

Whereas according to NetMarketShare:

• IE9: 6.00%
• IE10: 3.56%

(Cue debate over the accuracy/representativeness/relevance of either of these data sources...)

[patrickhlauke]

Indeed, removing support for 9 and 10 seems a bit premature at this point in time, I'd say.

[alvipeo]

Don't just yet!

[mdo]

Yeah, not going to.

[fatihhayri]

Bootstrap v4 still in alpha version. That these rates until the stable version will fall below 1%.

The differences are (IE9 and IE10 IE 11):

http://caniuse.com/#compare=ie+9,ie+10,ie+11

[patrickhlauke]

even 1% on a site that gets tens of thousands of hits equates to people not being able to see/use your stuff. that's a decision that I think is quite opinionated for a framework to take.

being more specific, which specific aspects of support for IE 9/10 are people here so concerned about that they want to drop them?

[alvipeo]

Look, I have pretty big corporate clients that use IE 9 (not even 10). I don't care if it's 0.00001% - these people do pay money! Until Microsoft owns enterprise IE9 and 10 must be supported.

[tkrotoff]

even 1%

I don't care if it's 0.00001% - these people do pay money!

According to your reflexion IE8 should be supported by v4 since it's still > 1% (IE6 too with 0.30%?).

StatCounter march-april 2016:

• IE10: 0.88%
• IE9: 0.94%
• IE8: 1.39%

NetMarketShare march-april 2016:

• IE10: 4.38%
• IE9: 3.48%
• IE8: 6.77%
• IE7: 0.60%
• IE6: 0.30%

=> IE8 is more common than IE9 and IE10 !!

Rationales:

• IE9 and IE10 are less used than IE8
• By the time v4 is final, their market share will be even lower
• v3 supports IE9 and IE10
• Testing and fixing IE9 takes time
• Prevents from using some features
• v4 lifetime will probably be 3 years like v3 (released in 2013-08), will IE9 and IE10 be relevant in 2017-2019?