The Sorry Legacy Of Internet Explorer

[ZLoth]

From Wired:

The Sorry Legacy Of Internet Explorer

INTERNET EXPLORER SOON will be a thing of the past. Starting today, Microsoft will stop supporting Internet Explorer versions 7, 8, 9 and 10 on most operating systems, its biggest step yet toward phasing out one of the most contentious pieces of software ever written.

Microsoft has been distancing itself from the Internet Explorer brand since March, when it launched the Microsoft Edge browser, but it isn't quite dead. Edge runs only on Windows 10, so Redmond will continue backing a few versions of Internet Explorer on older operating systems it still supports. But it's still a big departure. Historically, Microsoft has kept several versions of Internet Explorer current each supported version of Windows. Starting today, it will support only the latest version of IE that an operating system cdan run. It will not create new security patches for the older versions, leaving anyone who doesn't upgrade vulnerable to new hacks or attacks.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

[noelbotevera]

Microsoft's way of thinking is like poo.

[freebrickproductions]

It's a shame that IE 6 ruined Internet Explorer's reputation. the later versions of IE, especially IE 11 (which I'm using right now) are actually pretty decent and can compare well with other browsers (such as Google Chrome).

[ET21]

Microsoft lately has been doing a coupe ehhh things. One of the latest security updates kills playing games via CDs due to a supposed security breach through a .dll component. So essentially, I can't play certain games through CD anymore like SimCity and Flight Simulator.

[SignGeek101]

Honestly, I never used Internet Explorer unless I had to. I found the browser just was not personable and friendly as Chrome. I have my own format and "personal" Google Chrome (along with apps such as Adblock), and the clunkier and more bland IE just couldn't compete for me.

Just my opinion of course. Lots of people love IE, including my dad who despises Chrome.

[SteveG1988]

Microsoft lately has been doing a coupe ehhh things. One of the latest security updates kills playing games via CDs due to a supposed security breach through a .dll component. So essentially, I can't play certain games through CD anymore like SimCity and Flight Simulator.

Which Sim City?

[Rothman]

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/697/062/baf.jpg

[froggie]

I have never used Chrome, but I've heard it's a memory hog.

This shift in IE support is going to put some serious crimps in Navy IT...who as recently as 2 years ago was using IE 7 as its primary browser.  They've been slow to upgrade because of all the IT security breaches and concerns of newer browsers.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I fled away from Internet Explorer in Christmas 2011-12. Now I mostly use Firefox, with Chrome as a backup browser.

[Alex4897]

I have never used Chrome, but I've heard it's a memory hog.

Chrome has each tab, extension, etc run as a separate process to prevent one of those from crashing the entire browser.  It uses a lot more memory, but in theory it keeps it more stable.

[ZLoth]

I generally use Chrome for my personal browsing, and Firefox for web development and work browsing. I have barely used Edge because of the complete lack of extension support, which is kinda important since I use Xmarks, LastPass, and an ad blocker.

Anyone who has done serious web development involving Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) will learn to loathe Internet Explorer.... especially if you designed web pages for IE6. There were many hacks requires to get a web page to render properly. Unfortunately, IE6 was the browser to use for several years, and we are still living with that legacy... especially for applications which were developed internally for corporate use, and the people who developed the software have long since gone elsewhere.

[Thing 342]

I generally use Chrome for my personal browsing, and Firefox for web development and work browsing. I have barely used Edge because of the complete lack of extension support, which is kinda important since I use Xmarks, LastPass, and an ad blocker.

Anyone who has done serious web development involving Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) will learn to loathe Internet Explorer.... especially if you designed web pages for IE6. There were many hacks requires to get a web page to render properly. Unfortunately, IE6 was the browser to use for several years, and we are still living with that legacy... especially for applications which were developed internally for corporate use, and the people who developed the software have long since gone elsewhere.

Agreed. IE can go burn in a hole as far as I'm concerned. Trying to play nice with its earlier versions is such a massive pain in the ass that for more recent projects I just shoot for Edge/Fox/Chrome/Safari compatibility.

[vdeane]

Microsoft lately has been doing a coupe ehhh things. One of the latest security updates kills playing games via CDs due to a supposed security breach through a .dll component. So essentially, I can't play certain games through CD anymore like SimCity and Flight Simulator.

I was wondering why SimCity 4 wouldn't start.

[ET21]

Microsoft lately has been doing a coupe ehhh things. One of the latest security updates kills playing games via CDs due to a supposed security breach through a .dll component. So essentially, I can't play certain games through CD anymore like SimCity and Flight Simulator.

Which Sim City?

4. What would happen is you'd insert the disc and let it load, but an error message comes up saying you need administrative permissions even though you're already logged in as an admin. Toying with the settings doesn't work, the only way is to delete the update that has the specific .dll block

[SteveG1988]

Microsoft lately has been doing a coupe ehhh things. One of the latest security updates kills playing games via CDs due to a supposed security breach through a .dll component. So essentially, I can't play certain games through CD anymore like SimCity and Flight Simulator.

Which Sim City?

4. What would happen is you'd insert the disc and let it load, but an error message comes up saying you need administrative permissions even though you're already logged in as an admin. Toying with the settings doesn't work, the only way is to delete the update that has the specific .dll block

http://www.gog.com/game/simcity_4_deluxe_edition

No discs required. They will update it as needed to keep it working.

[rickmastfan67]

I never had this problem with SC4D.  Then again, I created an ISO of my Disks so I don't have to worry about damaging my disks.  But, then again, I play more with Skylines now.

[dcbjms]

I fled away from Internet Explorer in Christmas 2011-12. Now I mostly use Firefox, with Chrome as a backup browser.

Sounds like me, but with Opera instead of Firefox and the switch made when I was in high school.  Opera's a great little browser, but not a lot of websites support it (particularly Netflix).

[triplemultiplex]

I won't miss it.  Haven't used IE since I discovered Firefox in the early 00's.  The ability to get add-ons that suppressed pop-up ads was really a game changer at the time.  From there, I found the customization very appealing.

[ZLoth]

I generally use Chrome for my personal browsing, and Firefox for web development and work browsing. I have barely used Edge because of the complete lack of extension support, which is kinda important since I use Xmarks, LastPass, and an ad blocker.

Anyone who has done serious web development involving Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) will learn to loathe Internet Explorer.... especially if you designed web pages for IE6. There were many hacks requires to get a web page to render properly. Unfortunately, IE6 was the browser to use for several years, and we are still living with that legacy... especially for applications which were developed internally for corporate use, and the people who developed the software have long since gone elsewhere.

Agreed. IE can go burn in a hole as far as I'm concerned. Trying to play nice with its earlier versions is such a massive pain in the ass that for more recent projects I just shoot for Edge/Fox/Chrome/Safari compatibility.

When I did some web development a few years ago, I found that it was easier to code the pages for Firefox, and then adapting the pages to Chrome and Internet Explorer than it was to code the pages for Internet Explorer and then adapting the pages to Firefox and Internet Explorer. Firefox, at the time, had better debugging tools too. I'm sure that the web development tools in Chrome are much better now.

However, I'm also seeing more and more applications being written and used to work within the Web Browser window rather than being deployed as a stand alone application.

[ET21]

I never had this problem with SC4D.  Then again, I created an ISO of my Disks so I don't have to worry about damaging my disks.  But, then again, I play more with Skylines now.

It seems the problem exists with older CD/DVD ROM discs, newer ones like skylines get by with no issue. I did see that gog link, was thinking of just downloading the steam version

[jakeroot]

Only reason I use Chrome over IE/Edge is because of integration with other devices. My phone does not run IE/Edge, so I can't sync data between my desktop and phone. Using Chrome on my desktop, all my passwords/logins/history is stored in the cloud, which just makes it easier when browsing on my phone (with Chrome). On top of that, I can "pick up where I left off" because it shows the most recent browser tabs on the other device.

[vdeane]

Just realized something: there is now a semi-supported version of Windows (Windows Vista, which remains in extended support until April 2017) with no supported version of IE (the last version of IE for Vista was 9).  You'd think MS would wait to end support on IE 9 and 10 until Vista support ended.

I never had this problem with SC4D.  Then again, I created an ISO of my Disks so I don't have to worry about damaging my disks.  But, then again, I play more with Skylines now.

It seems the problem exists with older CD/DVD ROM discs, newer ones like skylines get by with no issue. I did see that gog link, was thinking of just downloading the steam version

What Microsoft did was prevent the SafeDisk DRM software from working.  Any game protected with that form of DRM wouldn't work.  Since SafeDisk is a simple disk check, it's fallen out of favor in the industry, which has fallen in love with online authentication for DRM.

[NJRoadfan]

Don't forget Windows Embedded POSReady 2009, which is supported until 2019 with it's now unsupported IE8.

[noelbotevera]

Right, this time I'll actually elaborate...

My school computers run IE 7 (a step up from IE 6 that we used in kindergarten), but IE 7 wants to be fast, but it's not. It's so slow that when I click on a tab multiple times, I get a window worm...it sucks, and to be honest..it really does deserve to be abandoned...but let's hope Microsoft can't screw up a new browser like they've done with Minecraft.

[triplemultiplex]

Hey, remember when Microsoft got in all that trouble with the feds over monopoly concerns because they'd send Windows out pre-loaded with IE, thus crowding out other browsers?  We have come a long, long way.