Microsoft Issues Internet Explorer Upgrade Warning

Long article short, Microsoft is telling people to stop using Internet Explorer. It is old, outdated, doesn’t have the functionality of newer browsers (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) and they have no interest in updating Internet Explorer. Yet, there are many companies (including the one I work for) that seem to be “stuck” on Internet Explorer. In our case, it is not because they can’t find someone to update the coding in the web application to work with a more “modern” browser, rather they don’t want to. When I ran into some issues last month when I was forced to switch over to our “new and improved” tracking application while using Chrome, I was informed Internet Explorer is the “official browser” of the company (though I could use whatever browser I wanted, just some things may not work as they should). Was also informed they don’t have time to be testing (and fixing) functionality in other browsers such as FIrefox or Chrome (since Internet Explorer is the “official browser”). I should also mention the bulk of the company is still running Windows 7. They are though (slowly) moving to Windows 10 as the newer laptops and store video surveillance workstations are installed with Windows 10. Furthermore, they are trying to work on a method to automatically upgrade the thousands of existing Windows 7 machines throughout the country to Windows 10 without the user having to do anything on their end.

Declaring “Enough is enough” in bold letters, Microsoft says Internet Explorer is now merely “a compatibility solution” rather than web browser. The company also warns IE users that “We’re not supporting new web standards for it” and they must move to “modern browsers”.

But wait, doesn’t Microsoft have a “modern browser”? Yes they do; Microsoft Edge. One caveat though, Microsoft Edge is only available for Windows 10. Microsoft never made it available for Windows 7 or 8.1 users and they never will. That is all part of Microsoft’s master plan to take over the world…okay maybe not. Rather it is another way to force everyone to upgrade to Windows 10. However, Edge is going away and will be replaced by a newer Microsoft made browser built on Chromium (the core of Google Chrome). So, may be this will be the kick in the pants some of these companies will need to finally move away from their reliance of Internet Explorer (and Windows 7). However, even with Microsoft’s warnings there’s little hope that South Korea may ever be able to get away from Internet Explorer.

via Forbes > Gordon Kelly