Microsoft planning to euthanize IE

[ceptimus]

According to this report, Microsoft have finally decided to call time on their crusty old browser. Let's hope the replacement is something worth seeing.

[Dingfod]

I bet Windows 10 gets a built-in browser, and you won't be able to use Google Chrome or god-forbid some other browser as your default browser.

[LadyShea]

I noted that a lot of new laptops came with Chrome installed, and I think that's why it now dominates. If IE was still the only out of the box browser it would still have 90+ % or whatever.

I think most people just don't think too much about it. I use Firefox at home because that's what I have done forever. At work though, I use Chrome because it's there already

[lisarea]

That would be especially tricky for Microsoft, because that was a major element of their antitrust case.

[Dingfod]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

I noted that a lot of new laptops came with Chrome installed, and I think that's why it now dominates. If IE was still the only out of the box browser it would still have 90+ % or whatever.

I think most people just don't think too much about it. I use Firefox at home because that's what I have done forever. At work though, I use Chrome because it's there already

The IT hacks at my employer prefer we use Chrome over IE. That's not the official position of the company, just the opinion of those that actually have to deal with the buggy motherfucker.

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by lisarea

That would be especially tricky for Microsoft, because that was a major element of their antitrust case.

I just meant that when given a built in alternative to IE, people used it. If that hadn't happened IE would still be the most used I think.

[lisarea]

I totally agree with you. I was just wondering if they'd try an integrated browser like Dingleford was saying what with their history, because that was one of the main arguments in that case--that they were a) colluding with hardware manufacturers to bundle their OS with unrelated hardware, and then b) bundling IE with their OS. They were pretty much forcing people into buying Windows, and then Windows was making IE the default, which led to its dominance just like you say.

That was like 15 years ago, so things are different now. The 'browser wars' are not as much a thing now as they were, it's nowhere near as painful to download and install a different browser, and browser based OSes are now a thing too.

So I think it could still happen, but I wonder if MS would still need to tread lightly.

[SharonDee]

Before the new regime took over our boss made IE the official browser, refusing to allow us to troubleshoot for any other one. Then we upgraded to Oracle, which runs better on just about anything but IE.

Then I fell out of love with Firefox because Flash. So Chrome is my browser of choice except I misses Tab Mix Plus ...

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by SharonDee

Then I fell out of love with Firefox because Flash. So Chrome is my browser of choice except I misses Tab Mix Plus ...

Hey, Flash is the bad guy here.

[Stormlight]

[JoeP]

Nice touch there, posting this on a six year old thread.

[fragment]

Originally Posted by lisarea

That would be especially tricky for Microsoft, because that was a major element of their antitrust case.

o hey remember when bundling a browser with an os was an appalling thing for a tech co to do and the absolute worst

so quaint

[viscousmemories]

I saw some tweeter waxing nostalgic about how IE was their first and it made me sad.