Microsoft: Internet Explorer is the browser you love to hate

[Rick]

"The Browser You Love to Hate" is Microsoft's latest attempt at humility, applying its self-deprecating, signature humor to yet another quirky ad campaign aimed to win back former users of their increasingly abandoned browser. "It's good now. No, really." seems to be Microsoft's mantra these days when discussing Internet Explorer while the advertising for IE has become somewhat apologetic to play on the sympathies of viewers.

The website humiliates past IE versions as a way to keep IE9 far removed from past iterations with quotes like, "Some people are trying the new Internet Explorer and actually liking it. Not that they would say that out loud". Visitors will also find quirky images, social media testimonials and a humorous video (see below).

With the introduction of IE9 last year, Microsoft won much praise for finally getting it right. Despite everything that may be wholesome and good in IE9, Microsoft's share of the browser market has been steadily slipping as users defect to other browsers.

In 2004, we reported almost 90 percent of webgoers were surfing with Internet Explorer. In recent times though, that number has dwindled to about 50 percent. Unsurprisingly, Chrome and Firefox have picked up most of those who have jumped ship. Oh, how times change.

Internet Explorer 10 is just around the corner and a preview version has been available for some time. The browser boasts many improvements in terms of compatibility and speed. Microsoft has been aiming to keep IE a modern web browser instead of resting on their laurels like they did with IE8 and prior. Users can expect to see IE10 bundled with Windows 8 this fall, however, the final version of the browser will be limited to Windows 7 and 8 platforms only.

• Internet Explorer 9 (Win7: x86, x64) (Vista: x86, x64)
• Internet Explorer 10 Preview (Win7)

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/47895-microsoft-internet-explorer-is-the-browser-you-love-to-hate.html

 

[Guest]

cute cats all you like, but my browser is a Fire Fox

 

[captaincranky]

I can still barely sit down after the whole IE-6 / Active X controls fiasco.

Once you've been violated to that degree, trust never comes easy.

 

[Guest]

Tried em all over the years and still use some secondarily, but IE has always served me well and never given me problems. When people tell me about their problems with IE I can't resist saying "that's a you problem".

Feel free to hate... just callin a spade a spade.

 

[captaincranky]

Tried em all over the years and still use some secondarily, but IE has always served me well and never given me problems. When people tell me about their problems with IE I can't resist saying "that's a you problem".

Feel free to hate... just callin a spade a spade.

Thanks! Don't mind if I do.....And BTW, that's just your OPINION of what is a spade. Anybody posting as "guest" doesn't really get the last word, even if they think they're entitled to it.

Get out and live a little! lnstall IE-6 and use a trial copy of Norton AV, circa 1995. Get back to us, let us know how that works our for ya.

And don't just visit the Vatican's website, that would be cheating, and you'll go straight to h***....er ....church...

 

[Jyrkz]

captaincranky said:

Tried em all over the years and still use some secondarily, but IE has always served me well and never given me problems. When people tell me about their problems with IE I can't resist saying "that's a you problem".

Feel free to hate... just callin a spade a spade.

Thanks! Don't mind if I do.....And BTW, that's just your OPINION of what is a spade. Anybody posting as "guest" doesn't really get the last word, even if they think they're entitled to it.

+1

haters will hate..
but im still wondering if i should try it out.. it could be good

 

[captaincranky]

+1

haters will hate..
but im still wondering if i should try it out.. it could be good

Anything but Chrome.....! Still love the "Fox" meeself though..

IE is the default call of many programs. For example Amazon's "MP-3 Downloader". Not a problem for me, running IE-8.

Still in all, "NoScript" for Firefox makes it the safest browser ever. (IMO, of course). I think you can get "NotScript" for chrome. That said, I don't think Google will be shooting themselves in the foot anytime soon, by blocking their own analytics.

Can't say for sure though, I keep Chrome off my computer as if it was spyware....:suspiciou

 

[treetops]

IE has always been behind FF, seems like they spent more time forcing you to use it then keeping it secure. I recently took chrome off when it started making popups asking me about chrome or something to that affect. I use FF, its served me well. As captain mentioned all the ad blocking plugins in FF are pretty nice. I don't see myself going back to IE anytime soon.

 

[Guest]

Until there is an ad blocker for IE, then you can just forget it.

After using Firefox and Chrome, opening IE is an assault on the senses. I use a browser to obtain information, not to be confronted by commerce in all its vulgarity.

Micro$oft just can't seem to get the $ out of its name.

 

[oldikes]

I hate that it exists.

I dont care about features, internet explorer is slow as heck and it blocks anything microsoft didnt personally aprove

 

[Guest]

IE sucks, period. Not just for users but for developers as well. For example, CSS3 hasn't been fully implemented yet. It's a browser that should have been abandoned a long time ago.

 

[Timonius]

Reminds me of the Kin ads.

 

[psycros]

Humility..?

Everybody seems to be completely misunderstanding these commercials. Microsoft isn't being the least big self-deprecating: their trying to make IE haters look like unbalanced, Microsoft-hating geeks. Are any of the "normal" people in these ads complaining about IE? Nope, just the guy who's seeing a <i>shrink</i> about his "problem". In short, its just the same old FUD in a new hipsteresque package - a package that's as socially repugnant as those softcore Hardee's commericials. The "humility" that the tech press sees in this campaign is wishful thinking. It comes from that voice inside many of us that's been silently screaming at Microsoft, "NO! Why are you doing <i>that</i>, it makes no sense! Quit screwing around and make your PC software <i>good</i> again!" IE9 is just another example of Microsoft's growing obsession with copying everybody else while desperately trying to look like their not. This is because they totally <b>lack</b> the humility that some people imagine they see in this ad. Its going to take an epic fail to wake them up. I believe its name will be Windows 8.

 

[Per Hansson]

treetops said:
IE has always been behind FF

No it hasn't, IE is way older than Firefox as a browser.
IE has always been behind Opera though!

But I must admit that IE9 is quite nice, I use it on my work computer.
When I had XP on my work computer I used Firefox, Opera & Chrome.
But after upgrading to Win7 2 year ago I have only been using IE9, do not even have other browsers installed...
The fact that the company is a bit locked in to Microsoft products of course helps, but there is no one stopping me from installing another browser, or OS for that matter

For my own home PC it's Opera all they way though, and XP x64, funny how that works

 

[fimbles]

Always used IE myself. Tried chrome and its much too minimilist for me, Tried firefox and the text in web pages seems a little blurred or something to my eyeballs.

Dont have any problems with internet explorer at all to be honest, Each to thier own of course.

 

[amstech]

There are all types of issues with IE9, IE8 is a better browser.
We have nearly 800 computers here at the Hospital and we remove IE9 on every single workstation.

 

[Guest]

Il be trying out new IE but Firefox is amazing, though freezes every now and then which is fixed by closing plugincontainer.exe

With Firefox you have massive range of plugins you can use to enhance the UE and the UI + noscript, way to go..

 

[TorturedChaos]

I'm rather annoyed that I can't even try IE9 on XP. I don't really understand why they made it Vista/7 + Only. We have 1 site at work that does OK in FF & Chrome, but works best in IE7+, and I would like to see how it runs in IE9, but don't have a Win7 work PC at work .
I still have a hard time trust IE at all tho:

captaincranky said:
I can still barely sit down after the whole IE-6 / Active X controls fiasco.

Once you've been violated to that degree, trust never comes easy.

You summed it up perfectly!

 

[Guest]

Really the only bad thing about IE is that you can't install Ad Block Plus. Give me that and really I wouldn't see much difference between the browsers. I love Firefox for now.

 

[lipe123]

Opera all the way babeh!

There is one thing that grinds my balls and its these companies that create web interfaces that ONLY work on IE. Bunch of scumbags!

 

[Guest]

Microsoft disses Google. Did you realize that the mother is baking "gluten free GINGERBREAD" and the cat is called "CUPCAKE"?

 

[SNGX1275]

Your genius surpasses me, can you dumb down your analogy for the rest of us?

 

[captaincranky]

Your genius surpasses me, can you dumb down your analogy for the rest of us?

I think they mean the the Chrome browser is like "gingerbread", all frills, and no substance. At least from the standpoint of a commonly used slang term describing useless, but decorative trim on buildings. "Frills", or excess decoration on anything.

Maybe "Cupcake" is the cat's holdover nickname from his time in the penitentiary. That's just a wild guess though...

 

[yorro]

I love to hate? I am a web developer, do you think I want to hate you?

 

[mopar man]

Captain, what is your real issue with Chrome? Like, can you give me information on WHY you keep it off your computers as if it were spyware?

I recently made the switch from FF to Chrome because of things that I liked more, but would like to hear your opinion.