RIP Internet Explorer

[NWI_Irish96]

Also, with the death of Internet Explorer, Microsoft has made it so Edge is automatically running in the background on startup. You have to disable it from the startup items.

It took a half-hour to restart my computer because of this.

I haven't bothered to upgrade either of my computers to Windows 11 because of the horror stories I've heard from those trying to use browsers other than Edge with 11. I've tried Edge and I think it's crap.

I upgraded to Win 11 and use Firefox and haven't had any problems.

[ZLoth]

The web was a different place in 2007-2009 when I learned a little bit of web development. Back then, I discovered I had fewer headaches if I did the initial development on Firefox (and the better free web development tools) which meant it should also be compatible with most of the non-Microsoft browsers, then adapt it to work with the Internet Explorer browsers including the bastard child Internet Explorer 6. After destroying Netscape Navigator, it had 95% of the browser market share, and Microsoft essentially stopped innovating that browser.

As for Microsoft Edge, it was initially built with Microsoft's own proprietary browser engine EdgeHTML and their Chakra JavaScript engine, but at the beginning of 2021, Microsoft switched to the Chromium-based enginer and the V8 JavaScript engine, much like Chrome, but with different bits added. Originally, Opera was also using the Presto engine, but around 2013, switched to the Chromium engine as well. And, with the rapid release model (along with Long Term Support versions), innovation comes more rapidly than the release schedules of the late 2000s.

Part of the challenge is in the IT world. I've seen too many instances where the decisions were based around the ideas that "IT is a business cost that must be minimized" and it's corollaries "it's still works. If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and "why pay for something this fiscal year when it can be pushed to next year's budget", and the ever-so-popular "if our sales people are in the classroom learning new process, they aren't in the field making money for the company". In some cases, there isn't a good replacement for that key piece of technology that is keeps the company running, and yet it's a discontinued product if not the vendor no longer existing.

I agree that Microsoft should tone it down when it comes to pushing the Microsoft Edge browser. At work, I use Firefox for work-related items while Chrome is for personal-related items. The plug-in support is better in Chrome and Firefox than in Edge. Having said that, it's still better than Apple's line of iToys and the lockdown on the Webkit-based engine on their mobile devices. Isn't this the same type of practice that Apple condemned Microsoft of doing 20 years ago?

[vdeane]

And, with the rapid release model (along with Long Term Support versions), innovation comes more rapidly than the release schedules of the late 200s.

Yeah, I don't think there was very much browser innovation during the days of the Roman Empire. 

[ZLoth]

And, with the rapid release model (along with Long Term Support versions), innovation comes more rapidly than the release schedules of the late 200s.

Yeah, I don't think there was very much browser innovation during the days of the Roman Empire. 

Plus, the response latency was much higher. (Yes, I just fixed it).

[bing101]

I have not seen Internet Explorer since the time Geocities were the trendy thing in the 2000's.

[Stephane Dumas]

I have not seen Internet Explorer since the time Geocities were the trendy thing in the 2000's.

Trendy thing in the 2000s, besides Geocites, let's also mention Hotmail, Mapquest, AOL, Prodigy, ICQ, Infoseek, Excite,...

[US 89]

I miss the days of printing out Mapquest directions before you went somewhere new.

[Stephane Dumas]

I miss the days of printing out Mapquest directions before you went somewhere new.

Yeah, along with Yahoo maps! But I wonder if some also miss RealAudio/RealVideo, QuickTime, Napster, MySpace as well?

[formulanone]

I miss the days of printing out Mapquest directions before you went somewhere new.

My daughter's school-supplied Chromebook actually blocks Google Maps (go figure) when on their school Wi-Fi. I told her to check out Mapquest; sure enough, it wasn't restricted.

"Welcome to 1999!", I proclaimed.

[ZLoth]

I miss the days of printing out Mapquest directions before you went somewhere new.

My daughter's school-supplied Chromebook actually blocks Google Maps (go figure) when on their school Wi-Fi. I told her to check out Mapquest; sure enough, it wasn't restricted.

Ahhh.... memories of Mapblast. Is Bing Maps or Open Street Map allowed?

[epzik8]

I used to be loyal to IE before finally giving in to the Chrome craze.

[formulanone]

I miss the days of printing out Mapquest directions before you went somewhere new.

My daughter's school-supplied Chromebook actually blocks Google Maps (go figure) when on their school Wi-Fi. I told her to check out Mapquest; sure enough, it wasn't restricted.

Ahhh.... memories of Mapblast. Is Bing Maps or Open Street Map allowed?

I'll find out in case they block Mapquest...

[Brandon]

There's really only one thing to say about the demise of IE...

[kphoger]

It isn't gone.  I'm using it right now.

[US71]

It isn't gone.  I'm using it right now.

But they have likely quit updating it.

[Max Rockatansky]

It isn't gone.  I'm using it right now.

But they have likely quit updating it.

I still use it at work.  That said, whenever I use email my browser now forces me to the jankier version of Outlook found in Edge.