INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Internet Explorer Dumped By Microsoft? What They Hopefully Learned From Its Failure

By Toni Matthews
Published on: 23:28 PST, Mar 17, 2015

Internet Explorer is finally being put out to pasture by Microsoft. Although the software company admitted their flagship browser isn’t getting dumped immediately (it’s expected to appear on Windows 10 with new browser), the end is near. At least, near enough to pen an obituary for Internet Explorer.

I won’t lie and say that it was a “good little browser.” The truth is that I haven’t willingly gone near Internet Explorer for some time, only ever using it to get access to newer browsers like Chrome, Firefox, or Opera. In fact, it’s been so long as since I’ve willing used IE that I almost forgot why. I wonder how many people remember the horror show that was Internet Explorer 6. It could be that staying away from Microsoft’s main browser simply become a reflex by now.

Prior to IE6, the Microsoft browser was known for vulnerability to viruses. Even so, the sixth version of Internet Explorer was a game-changer. You know things are bad when the Department of Homeland Security has to make a statement advising anyone against using your software. But what is especially baffling is that the bug that concerns the government was apparently NEVER addressed; the warning against Internet Explorer addresses versions six through 11.

This fact alone doesn’t exactly breed confidence in Project Spartan. In case you missed it, Spartan is the code name for a browser expected to replace Internet Explorer at some point. Although there’s speculation as to whether or not it will be the dominant Microsoft browser on Windows 10, it is know that Spartan will operate independently of Explorer.

The company is currently thinking of a name for its new browser. When asked by Chrome users what name the preferred, anything with “Internet Explorer” in it was firmly rejected. Meanwhile, placing Microsoft in front of the name was met with positive feedback. Clearly trust issues remain.

That’s why I hope that Microsoft isn’t bringing baggage to the new browser and unlearned lessons about internet security and user-friendliness. Even today there are people who stubbornly cling to Windows XP. It’s not that everyone hates Microsoft. It’s just that sometimes Microsoft upgrades don’t go as planned. Sometimes, Microsoft introduces a product that unleashes a nightmare on its customers. I might be talking about Vista. I might be talking about Internet Explorer 6. The point is, new isn’t always better when it comes from Microsoft; it can actually be the worst.

So if there’s anything Microsoft learned from the agonizingly drawn out failure of the Internet Explorer browser, it’s that there’s no excuse for wonky, virus-vulnerable products at this stage of the game. People love new things; buzz will be inevitable. Internet Explorer being dumped for a new browser? Even more buzz! However, this is pretty much Microsoft’s one and only chance to prove this isn’t Internet Explorer and a host of new malware issues entering computers in a Trojan Horse. If Project Spartan fails to live up to the hype, Microsoft should bite the bullet and let Chrome or Firefox come standard with their computers from now on.

What do you think of the demise of Internet Explorer? Are you excited about a new browser?

[Image Credit: Sean MacEntee]

Share this article: Internet Explorer Dumped By Microsoft? What They Hopefully Learned From Its Failure
microsoft
More from Inquisitr