SSL and SNI on dynamic IP

[truongcoi]

Hello,
I'm thinking of getting a free SSL certificate for a web forum and having an optional secure version to cater for the paranoid members of the audience, but doing it on the cheap using SNI and maintaining the site on a dynamic IP. Is anyone doing this, do you get many complaints from XP users or from users of older browsers? Any major pitfalls?
Thanks.

[lammert]

I switched to SNI a year back and never regretted the move. It may depend on your audience though. Some countries have higher percentages of XP computers than others. In practice you'll never hear complaints because if people can't open your site due to SSL incompatibility problems, they won't know your contact information and just move on to other sites.

Practice is that so many sites use SNI and/or high level SSL encryption incompatible with older browsers and computers, that those internet surfers are already cut of from a large part of the online world.

And there is another way to look at it which I used as final argument when switching to SNI. If people in this era don't have the resources or incentive to switch their computer to something newer than Windows XP, would they have the resources or incentive to contribute (financially or other) to you/your site, or are you by not using SNI just investing in a part of the population which will never give any return on investment?

[Dimitri]

the population which will never give any return on investment?

Nice state of mind...

[lammert]

Nice state of mind...

On e-commerce sites and other sites where user security is important, the trade-off between lack of security vs ROI is a valid concern. I blocked low grade cyphers and use SNI with the knowledge that I miss some part (although a diminishing one) of the on-line society.

[Dimitri]

On e-commerce sites and other sites where user security is important

@truongcoi asked for a forum ...

[lammert]

Yep, the OP asked about a forum where he is considering a secure version to cater for the paranoid members of the audience. So it seems the members of the forum, or their discussions require some security consideration.