You can still use IE6 for now, but only for a few more years. Microsoft plans to “de-support” IE6 in 2014. That means it will continue to issue patches and updates for any security threats that come up. (You should also have a firewall, antivirus, and antispyware protection in place whenever you access the Internet, no matter what browser you use.)

Nevertheless -- it’s probably time to upgrade anyway. Even though IE6 may not threaten your security, it can lessen your enjoyment of the Internet. For one thing, it’s slower than more modern browsers. And, if you use Twitter, Facebook, Digg, or YouTube, you’ve already seen warnings telling you these sites will work better with a different browser. These services, and many others, will stop working on IE6 a lot sooner than 2014. So sticking with IE6 could mean you’ll soon be shut out of the Web’s most popular sites.