No, the problem is Internet cafe and pubs. They contribute the largest proportion of Chinese Internet users. And they all have a very special something: 还原卡[1]. Basically it's a either software or hardware controls INT 13H, so all data write to HDD is dropped once system is reboot, and the system is as clean as a fresh system install. And yes, they all have pirated Windows XP SP2 with outdated software/games installed years ago and the admin don't bother to upgrade their system because "nothing is broken". Some of the applications defintely requires and regular upgrade, like anti-virus software and MMORPGs, often they use a network mapped drive to a LAN server. So everyone gets a latest version while the OS partition remains static for years.
IDK why 还原卡 is so popular in China, nearly every public computer has one. Perhaps it's because virus and malware are so rampant in China.
And for Maxthon, it use the system default WebBrowser control, so it's version agnostic, it can be either IE5, 5.5, 6, 7 or 8.
That's certainly one factor. I remember how annoyed I was when developing a hostel website for a friend that I'd have to support IE6, due to the wide install base. Then my friend tried using it in this weird new browser which she said was popular - I was happy that Chinese people were being persuaded to switch from IE. Then I discovered that Maxthon used the Trident layout engine and had inherited all the IE layout problems. Aaargh!
Still, I don't think Maxthon explains everything - I have seen a lot of cyber cafes with only IE6 installed. I'll try and make an extra effort to promote Chrome/Firefox/heck, even IE9 next time I'm over there.
