Internet Explorer 'dies' tomorrow after 27 years, but nearly 50% of businesses still use...

[midian182]

TL;DR: If you're of an age where you think of Windows 95 upon hearing the Rolling Stones' Start Me Up, you may feel a twinge of nostalgic sadness to know that Microsoft is killing off Internet Explorer tomorrow, almost 27 years after it was introduced. And yet, as is so often the case when support for a product ends, millions of devices are still using Explorer as their primary web browser.

Microsoft last May announced that it would be killing off Internet Explorer in its traditional form this year. Now, the near three-decade-old software is about to be retired.

The browser's desktop app will go out of support tomorrow on the most recent versions of Windows 10—it's not available on Windows 11. Soon afterward, Microsoft will push out a Windows Update that completely removes Internet Explorer from Windows 10 devices altogether and redirects users to Edge if they try to access the app.

Explorer won't be consigned to the history books entirely, though. It will live on through Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge, allowing access to legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications directly from the Chromium-based newer browser. The mode will be supported through to at least 2029, while those still on Windows 8.1 and Windows 7's Extended Security Update users can use IE mode until January 2023.

To enable IE mode in Edge, type edge://settings/defaultbrowser, toggle 'Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer,' and restart the browser.

Many businesses are reportedly hanging on to Internet Explorer even as Microsoft ends support. According to figures from Lansweeper shared with TechRadar Pro, 47% of over nine million Windows 10 devices across 33,000 organizations are still using Explorer, and 79% aren't even on the latest version of Windows 10, never mind Windows 11.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/94935-internet-explorer-dies-tomorrow-after-27-years-but.html

 

[Fearghast]

I have to find something else I will hate with fiery passion ... so long, trash!

 

[hahahanoobs]

Software so good people will intentionally use it unprotected instead of downloading the free upgrade.

 

[DZillaXx]

I honestly hope they don't remote IE from Windows 10. You'd be surprised by the amount of equipment out there that only work with 32bit IE. Sure pretty much every new device is free from IE, but there is stuff we've installed years ago like NVRs that local hosted management site is tied to IE. But the actually desktop software that talks to it is not.

 

[zamroni111]

I have to find something else I will hate with fiery passion ... so long, trash!

Windows 11: hello, Fearghast.
Me: run for your life, Fearghast

 

[letsgoiowa]

I honestly hope they don't remote IE from Windows 10. You'd be surprised by the amount of equipment out there that only work with 32bit IE. Sure pretty much every new device is free from IE, but there is stuff we've installed years ago like NVRs that local hosted management site is tied to IE. But the actually desktop software that talks to it is not.

Please read the article.

 

[Avro Arrow]

This is no big deal to me. I've used Firefox since around 2005.

 

[moon982]

Can some one explain to me why so many businesses use IE? I find it strange why they don’t use other browser why they use slow and major malware security risk to the business by using IE.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Can some one explain to me why so many businesses use IE? I find it strange why they don’t use other browser why they use slow and major malware security risk to the business by using IE.

It's because businesses are run by executives and executives are lazier than politicians.

 

[axiomatic13]

Can some one explain to me why so many businesses use IE? I find it strange why they don’t use other browser why they use slow and major malware security risk to the business by using IE.

They don't intentionally use them. They built internal applications based on Microsofts active-x and the only browser that can utilize those active-x applications is IE. This is those companies being unwilling to upgrade the application because of cost expenditures.

 

[Fearghast]

Windows 11: hello, Fearghast

True, true. You could always pretty much avoid IE and use something else ... or emulate it via IE Tab, BUT Windows 10 with abysmal update service and Windows 11 with botched UI is something you can only avoid with switching OS and that's not ideal in terms of compatibility and often performance.

 

[Itzmorfintime]

I honestly hope they don't remote IE from Windows 10. You'd be surprised by the amount of equipment out there that only work with 32bit IE. Sure pretty much every new device is free from IE, but there is stuff we've installed years ago like NVRs that local hosted management site is tied to IE. But the actually desktop software that talks to it is not.

I honestly hope they don't remote IE from Windows 10. You'd be surprised by the amount of equipment out there that only work with 32bit IE. Sure pretty much every new device is free from IE, but there is stuff we've installed years ago like NVRs that local hosted management site is tied to IE. But the actually desktop software that talks to it is not.

I work for the county government and we're bearly transitioning to use edge. But our IT just take thier time.

 

[human7]

Can some one explain to me why so many businesses use IE? I find it strange why they don’t use other browser why they use slow and major malware security risk to the business by using IE.

It's a failure of management to prioritize migrating their software stacks off of whatever it is that requires them to be using IE. If a web page was built for IE and for whatever reason it doesn't work in Chrome or Firefox, then software developers can easily fix it, but management often doesn't prioritize improving their tech stacks until they are forced to do so.

 

[Darth Shiv]

It's a failure of management to prioritize migrating their software stacks off of whatever it is that requires them to be using IE. If a web page was built for IE and for whatever reason it doesn't work in Chrome or Firefox, then software developers can easily fix it, but management often doesn't prioritize improving their tech stacks until they are forced to do so.

Yep their asses need to be on fire to look at it. They'll ignore it as long as possible.

 

[EdmondRC]

Oh, crap that was today!
~procrastinating IT professional

 

[ZedRM]

This is no big deal to me. I've used Firefox since around 2005.

2002 here. I've been removing/deleting IE from Windows since Windows 95.

 

[captaincranky]

"Fare thee well". Internet Explorer. You've been around for 27 years, and on life support for at least 26 of them. "Rest in peace".

 

[Raytrace3D]

A great many companies have to sunset legacy internal apps, so for us developers, this is good news as it's job security to port those apps over to something better.

I've worked on a great many apps that were built off of internal WinForms/MFC Browser Controls and even using hacked solutions to get them to render using different browser engines, they didn't always work so good as some of the legacy proprietary IE functions. That said, it was always a complaint of mine that we relied on them and the fact that the app itself could be replaced with a modern solution or in many respects a web application as the cost to maintain them would be lower as development time and QA testing would be easier. Looks like their time is finally up... thank gawd.

 

[BadThad]

They don't intentionally use them. They built internal applications based on Microsofts active-x and the only browser that can utilize those active-x applications is IE. This is those companies being unwilling to upgrade the application because of cost expenditures.

Exactly, AND there is NOTHING wrong with using IE for internal applications. We are still using IE for an enterprise-level system. Users can query the system and get documents using IE - it works great still today. If it ain't broke....execs will never approve an upgrade.

 

[Avro Arrow]

It's a failure of management to prioritize migrating their software stacks off of whatever it is that requires them to be using IE. If a web page was built for IE and for whatever reason it doesn't work in Chrome or Firefox, then software developers can easily fix it, but management often doesn't prioritize improving their tech stacks until they are forced to do so.

Yep, and they're lazy as hell.

 

[ZedRM]

Exactly, AND there is NOTHING wrong with using IE for internal applications. We are still using IE for an enterprise-level system. Users can query the system and get documents using IE - it works great still today. If it ain't broke....execs will never approve an upgrade.

Except that it can be exploited remotely. Internet Explorer is broken and has been for a VERY long time. Any Exec who fails to accept that fact boarders on criminal negligence.

 

[ZedRM]

Fare thee well Internet Explorer. You've been around for 27 years, and on life support for at least 26 of them. Rest in peace.

No no, not "Fair thee well" or "Rest in Peace", properly said it's: See ya Internet Explorer, good riddance and roast in the depths of Hades forever more..

Yes, yes

 

[captaincranky]

No no, not "Fair thee well" or "Rest in Peace", properly said it's: See ya Internet Explorer, good riddance and roast in the depths of Hades forever more..

Yes, yes

I was being sarcastic. This should have been the giveaway:

Internet Explorer. You've been around for 27 years, and on life support for at least 26 of them.

I amended the post with shock quotes to denote the sarcasm for ya.

Besides, I'm told, "it's impolite to speak ill of the dead". Although IE, may indeed, trump accepted politesse in this instance

 

[ZedRM]

I was being sarcastic. This should have been the giveaway:

I amended the post with shock quotes to denote the sarcasm for ya.

No, no, that's fair. You and I have a very different sense of humor. I just didn't pick up on it.

Besides, I'm told, "it's impolite to speak ill of the dead". Although IE, may indeed, trump accepted politesse in this instance

That would of course be true for something well liked and well loved, buuuut...