WebProNews

Tag: Internet Explorer

  • Microsoft Is Disabling Internet Explorer on Windows 10 Today

    Microsoft Is Disabling Internet Explorer on Windows 10 Today

    Microsoft is disabling Internet Explorer from most Windows 10 installations today, putting another nail in the old browser’s coffin.

    Microsoft has been moving users to Edge for some time. In all respects, Edge is a far superior browser to IE. Given that Microsoft has stopped supporting IE, Edge is also a more secure option.

    Today, the company will be rolling out an update to Edge that will disable IE on most Windows 10 computers.

    The company updated its support document to reflect the move:

    The out-of-support Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) desktop application was permanently disabled on certain versions of Windows 10 on February 14, 2023 through a Microsoft Edge update. Note, this update will be rolled out over the span of a few days up to a week, as is standard for Microsoft Edge updates.

    All remaining consumer and commercial devices that were not already redirected from IE11 to Microsoft Edge were redirected with the Microsoft Edge update. Users will be unable to reverse the change. Additionally, redirection from IE11 to Microsoft Edge will be included as part of all future Microsoft Edge updates.

  • Goodbye and Good Riddance: Internet Explorer Is Officially History

    Goodbye and Good Riddance: Internet Explorer Is Officially History

    Microsoft has officially retired Internet Explorer, ending support for the web browser that was instrumental in helping the company defeat Netscape.

    Internet Explorer has been on the scene for nearly 27 years, and was Microsoft’s answer to Netscape. Netscape helped popularize the web browser and was poised to help the browser become a platform of its own, one that could pose a threat to Windows. Microsoft went on the attack, using Internet Explorer, and ultimately won the first Browser Wars.

    Fast-forward more than two decades and Internet Explorer is barely a footnote, long since replaced with Microsoft Edge and eclipsed by Google Chrome, Apple’s Safari, and Netscape’s successor, Mozilla Firefox. Microsoft has been working to move users toward Edge, and has now ended all support for Internet Explorer.

    Read more: Microsoft Edge Has Worst Default Privacy Settings

    “After 25+ years of helping people use and experience the web, Internet Explorer (IE) is officially retired and out of support as of today, June 15, 2022,” writes Sean Lyndersay, General Manager, Microsoft Edge Enterprise. “To many millions of you, thank you for using Internet Explorer as your gateway to the internet.”

    For those who remember how awful it was to support Internet Explorer when creating websites, trying to make them compatible with the browser’s horrible standards support — goodbye and good riddance. You won’t be missed.

  • Windows Pioneer: ‘Screw You, Microsoft Edge’

    Windows Pioneer: ‘Screw You, Microsoft Edge’

    Microsoft is in the hot seat from none other than one of its Windows Pioneers, over aggressive advertising in its Edge web browser.

    Microsoft Edge has replaced Internet Explorer as the main web browser shipped with Windows. Based on Chromium, Edge offers a number of improvements over its predecessor.

    Unfortunately, Microsoft has been in the habit of dropping “suggestions” — who are they kidding…they’re ads — in the Start Menu almost since the debut of Windows 10. The “suggestions” push the company’s software, such as Edge, over rival options.

    The company appears to be taking that approach to a new level, using popups within Edge to make recommendations to users. Charles Petzold — a programmer, author of Programming Windows and one of the seven Windows Pioneers recognized by Microsoft for their contributions to the platform — is one such individual.

    In a blog post entitled “Screw You, Microsoft Edge,” Petzold describes shopping for a book online, only to have Edge display a popup recommending the same purchase from a different store.

    Microsoft Edge Popup – Credit Charles Petzold

    Needless to say, he wasn’t impressed. Mr. Petzold describes his take:

    Excuse me? The assumption that I need help buying a book is the biggest insult I’ve encountered on Windows since the days of Clippy.

    A further insult is the implication that I make buying decisions based solely on price. There might be numerous reasons why I choose one retailer over another for my book purchases. I might prefer a retailer that focuses solely on books, or a retailer that is not a large chain. More generally, I might make a decision based on the company’s carbon footprint, or perhaps their reputation in paying fair wages, or what political candidates and movements they support, or whether the CEO uses his wealth to launch himself into space. 

    Dealing with advertising in free platforms and services is one thing, and an expected trade-off for free. It’s incredibly hard to imagine any legitimate justification for advertising, or “suggestions,” in a platform individuals and businesses have paid for.

  • Microsoft Edge for Linux Getting Sign-In and Sync Support

    Microsoft Edge for Linux Getting Sign-In and Sync Support

    Microsoft is adding sign-in and sync support to the Linux version of its Edge web browser.

    Microsoft Edge is the company’s web browser that replaced its long-lived Internet Explorer. While Edge was originally powered by Microsoft’s own rendering engine, the company transitioned it to Chromium, the open source rendering engine that powers Google’s Chrome. Unlike Internet Explorer, Edge is available for several of the most popular Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian and openSUSE.

    In a post on the company’s Dev channel, Microsoft’s Josh Bodner announced that sign-in and sync are available in dev build 91.0.831.1.

    We’re also starting to roll out sign-in and sync for Linux users! Please note that this is only supported for personal Microsoft Accounts at the moment, and you may need to enable a flag in order to see this setting.

    The company does warn that there may be issues, given this is still a development feature.

    Users interested in more information can read the full release notes here.

  • Mozilla Working On Major Firefox Design Refresh

    Mozilla Working On Major Firefox Design Refresh

    Mozilla is planning on a design refresh of its flagship browser, the first such refresh since 2017.

    Once one of the most popular web browsers on the market, and the main competitor to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Firefox has since fallen to roughly 7.5% as of December 2020. Nonetheless, Firefox remains an important option, given Mozilla’s focus on security and privacy.

    According to Ghacks, Mozilla is calling this refresh Photon, as opposed to the last one, which was called Proton. The company has not provided any details, screenshots or mockups, but has posted a meta bug on Bugzilla that provides clues regarding what elements are slated for change. In particular, the following items are covered:

    • The Firefox address bar and tabs bar
    • The main Firefox menu
    • Infobars
    • Doorhangers
    • Context Menus
    • Modals

    A design refresh may be just what Firefox needs to prompt people to give it another look and help it regain some market share.

  • Microsoft Looking For Help From Linux Developers to Port Edge to Linux

    Microsoft Looking For Help From Linux Developers to Port Edge to Linux

    Microsoft’s Edge web browser has received generally positive reviews, and has proven to be a worthy successor to Internet Explorer and a solid contender among modern browsers.

    In December 2018, Microsoft announced its intention to abandon EdgeHTML as the browser’s rendering engine in favor of Chromium, the same rendering engine Google Chrome uses. In the months since the announcement, Microsoft has worked on versions of Edge for Windows 7, 8 and 10, as well as Xbox One, macOS, iOS and Android.

    Now, Microsoft has teased the possibility of Edge making its way to Linux as well. Sean Larkin, a member of the Edge development team, took to Twitter to solicit feedback from Linux developers:

    “We on the @MSEdgeDev team are fleshing out requirements to bring Edge to Linux, and we need your help w/ some assumptions!”

    Larkin went to say that “if you’re a dev who depends on Linux for dev, testing, personal browsing, please take a second to fill out this survey!”

    If Microsoft successfully brings Edge to Linux, it could make life for Linux web developers easier, allowing them to natively test how their sites and web applications work in Microsoft’s latest browser.

    Here’s a link to the survey…

  • Microsoft Patches Serious Flaw In Internet Explorer

    Microsoft Patches Serious Flaw In Internet Explorer

    Microsoft has released an emergency fix for Windows 10, following the discovery of a serious flaw in Internet Explorer. The flaw is a remote code vulnerability—one of the most dangerous types of security flaws, as it opens the way for a hacker to remotely take control of an affected system.

    At the root of the flaw is how Internet Explorer’s scripting engine handles objects in memory, leading to memory corruption that could allow a hacker to run arbitrary code in place of the user. This would allow the attacker to gain the same rights and authority as the current user, effectively letting them take control of the system.

    The vulnerability is serious enough that even the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued their own advisory, with the agency and Microsoft both urging users to update immediately.

    Windows users should be able to update via Windows Update. Microsoft also released a security advisory that includes links to a manual update.

  • Google Ends AdWords Support For Old Versions of IE

    Google Ends AdWords Support For Old Versions of IE

    Earlier this month, Microsoft ended its support for older versions of Internet Explorer, including 8, 9, and 19. Support ended on the 12th.

    On the 11th, we looked at a survey from Manta, which found that a whopping 61% of small business owners who use Internet Explorer were still using version 10 or older.

    Google announced on Wednesday that it is ending its support for these older versions as well, when it comes to AdWords. In a Google+ post, the company said:

    We want to provide you with the best AdWords experience possible. To do so, we focus on optimizing AdWords for the latest versions of your web browser. Starting on March 7th, 2016, AdWords will only support Internet Explorer 11. If you use Internet Explorer 10 to access AdWords, we recommend you upgrade to the latest version of Internet Explorer or any of these supported web browsers to avoid a loss in AdWords functionality.

    Of course this isn’t the only pressing reason to update to the latest version. Only 11 will continue to receive security updates, compatibility fixes, and technical support on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.

    As Microsoft said, “Internet Explorer 11 offers improved security, increased performance, better backward compatibility, and support for the web standards that power today’s websites and services. Microsoft encourages customers to upgrade and stay up-to-date on the latest browser for a faster, more secure browsing experience.”

    If you don’t upgrade, you’re setting yourself up to be victim to malware and other exploitation.

    Image via Google

  • A Lot of Small Businesses Still Using IE Versions Microsoft Is Ending Support For

    Microsoft recently announced that it would stop supporting older versions of Internet Explorer, which means a lot of businesses are going to need to take action very soon.

    A survey from Manta finds that 61% of small business owners who use Internet Explorer are still using version 10 or older, which are those that Microsoft stops supporting on Tuesday.

    “With less than 24 hours until Microsoft discontinues technical support for IE 8, 9 and 10, it’s surprising that more small businesses aren’t upgrading to prevent security woes,” a Manta spokesperson tells WebProNews. “While Manta finds that the majority of SMBs (37%) are avid Chrome users, 34% use Internet Explorer – a good chunk of businesses now subject to malicious security attacks if they fail to update.”

    Microsoft said in a post on its website:

    Beginning January 12, 2016, only the most current version of Internet Explorer available for a supported operating system will receive technical supports and security updates. Internet Explorer 11 is the last version of Internet Explorer, and will continue to receive security updates, compatibility fixes, and technical support on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.

    Internet Explorer 11 offers improved security, increased performance, better backward compatibility, and support for the web standards that power today’s websites and services. Microsoft encourages customers to upgrade and stay up-to-date on the latest browser for a faster, more secure browsing experience.

    The company tells users to make sure to take action before January 12. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up to be victim to malware and other exploitation of vulnerabilities.

    You can take a look at the Windows lifecycle FAQ sheet here.

    Image via Microsoft

  • Microsoft Is About To Stop Supporting Older Versions of Internet Explorer

    Next week, Microsoft will stop supporting older versions of Internet Explorer including 8,9, and 10. The company announced that support will end on January 12.

    In a post on its website (via Neowin), Microsoft says:

    Beginning January 12, 2016, only the most current version of Internet Explorer available for a supported operating system will receive technical supports and security updates. Internet Explorer 11 is the last version of Internet Explorer, and will continue to receive security updates, compatibility fixes, and technical support on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10.

    Internet Explorer 11 offers improved security, increased performance, better backward compatibility, and support for the web standards that power today’s websites and services. Microsoft encourages customers to upgrade and stay up-to-date on the latest browser for a faster, more secure browsing experience.

    The company tells users to make sure to take action before January 12. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up to be victim to malware and other exploitation of vulnerabilities.

    There’s a Windows lifecycle FAQ sheet here.

    Image via Microsoft

  • Internet Explorer Is Pretty Much Dead

    Yes, this is a headline from 2015. You might think that Microsoft’s much-maligned web browser has been dying for years – and you’d be right. But now it’s seemingly official. Microsoft is abandoning the Internet Explorer brand.

    Microsoft has already announced its brand new web browser, codenamed Project Spartan. And we’ve had more than subtle hints that IE was on the way out. But speaking at an event on Monday, Microsoft’s Chris Capossela all but nailed the final nail in the coffin.

    From The Verge:

    …the software maker has now confirmed that it will use a new name for its upcoming browser successor, codenamed Project Spartan. Speaking at Microsoft Convergence yesterday, Microsoft’s marketing chief Chris Capossela revealed that the company is currently working on a new name and brand. “We’re now researching what the new brand, or the new name, for our browser should be in Windows 10,” said Capossela. “We’ll continue to have Internet Explorer, but we’ll also have a new browser called Project Spartan, which is codenamed Project Spartan. We have to name the thing.”

    Apparently, IE will still exist in some small way, in some enterprise versions of Windows 10. But it’s clear that Microsoft is looking for a new name altogether. According to Microsoft, recent research has shown that folks are receptive to the “Microsoft” brand, and that test browser names paired with “Microsoft” have tested very well.

    And most efforts to change public opinion on IE haven’t really gone that well.

    With all this in mind, it’s possible that whatever browser Project Spartan becomes could have the word “Microsoft” in it in some way. It’s now definitive that the browser will not be a new iteration of Internet Explorer.

    Image via IE, Twitter

  • Google Discovers ‘POODLE’ Vulnerability In SSL 3.0

    Google announced that it has discovered a vulnerability (referred to as POODLE) in SSL version 3.0, the details of which can be found here. Bodo Möller of the Google Security Team found the issue along with fellow Googlers Thai Duong and Krzysztof Kotowicz. Makers of web browsers, including Google, are working on a fix.

    Möller writes:

    SSL 3.0 is nearly 15 years old, but support for it remains widespread. Most importantly, nearly all browsers support it and, in order to work around bugs in HTTPS servers, browsers will retry failed connections with older protocol versions, including SSL 3.0. Because a network attacker can cause connection failures, they can trigger the use of SSL 3.0 and then exploit this issue.

    Disabling SSL 3.0 support, or CBC-mode ciphers with SSL 3.0, is sufficient to mitigate this issue, but presents significant compatibility problems, even today. Therefore our recommended response is to support TLS_FALLBACK_SCSV. This is a mechanism that solves the problems caused by retrying failed connections and thus prevents attackers from inducing browsers to use SSL 3.0. It also prevents downgrades from TLS 1.2 to 1.1 or 1.0 and so may help prevent future attacks.

    Möller also notes that Chrome has supported TLS_FALLBACK_SCSV since February, and says it has “good evidence” that it can be used without compatibility issues. Chrome will also begin testing changes that disable the fallback to SSL 3.0. Some sites will break because of this, Google notes, adding that such sites will need to be updated quickly.

    Google hopes to have support for SSL 3.0 removed from its client products within the coming months.

    Mozillla says it has a plan for Firefox as well. SSL 3.0 will be disabled by default in Firefox 34, which will be released on November 25th. It’s releasing the code to disable it in Nightly immediately, and that will be promoted to Aurora and Beta in the coming weeks.

    Additionally Firefox 35 will support SCSV, which is described as a generic TLS downgrade protection mechanism. Mozilla says:

    For Firefox users, the simplest way to stay safe is to ensure that Firefox is configured to automatically update. Look under Preferences / Advanced / Update and make sure that “Automatically install updates” is checked.

    For users who don’t want to wait till November 25th (when SSLv3 is disabled by default in Firefox 34), we have created the SSL Version Control Firefox extension to disable SSLv3 immediately.

    Microsoft had this to say:

    Microsoft is aware of detailed information that has been published describing a new method to exploit a vulnerability in SSL 3.0. This is an industry-wide vulnerability affecting the SSL 3.0 protocol itself and is not specific to the Windows operating system. All supported versions of Microsoft Windows implement this protocol and are affected by this vulnerability. Microsoft is not aware of attacks that try to use the reported vulnerability at this time. Considering the attack scenario, this vulnerability is not considered high risk to customers.

    We are actively working with partners in our Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) to provide information that they can use to provide broader protections to customers.

    Upon completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to help protect our customers. This may include providing a security update through our monthly release process or providing an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs.

    The company has further guidance, an FAQ, and a list of affected products available here.

    By the way, POODLE stands for “Padding Oracle On Downgraded Legacy Encryption”. This article at ImperialViolet.org has more technical information explaining it.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Microsoft Gives Devs A Look At IE For Windows 10

    Microsoft launched a technical preview of Windows 10, and with that comes some updates to Internet Explorer.

    You can only use the preview at this point if you’re in the WIndows Insider Program, but the company gave developers a glimpse today. It includes the launch of the Internet Explorer Platform Suggestion Box to give feature suggestions.

    The preview also includes support for new the HTTP/2 networking protocol.

    “HTTP/2 builds on our experience delivering SPDY/3 support in IE11 and enables improved performance on the Web using techniques including multiplexing, header compression and Server Push,” Microsoft says.

    It also includes performance updates in the Chakra JavaScript engine.

    The company explains, “The changes include streamlining of Chakra’s execution pipeline to deliver faster startup, optimizations in Chakra’s Just-in-Time compiler to increase script execution throughput, and enhancements to Chakra’s Garbage Collection subsystem to deliver better UI responsiveness for apps and sites.”

    Microsoft discusses all of this and more (including more detail on the suggestion box) here.

    Image via Microsoft

  • Microsoft Postpones IE Java-Blocking Feature

    Microsoft recently posted to its Internet Explorer blog that it would begin blocking out-of-date ActiveX controls as part of its “ongoing commitment to delivering a more secure browser”. It then updated the blog to announce that it had postponed it until September 9th.

    According to a recent Microsoft Security Intelligence report, Java exploits represented 84.6% to 98.5% of exploit kit-related detections every month of last year. The company says while such vulnerabilities may have been fixed in recent versions, not all users will know to upgrade, so an update to IE will include a new security feature called out-of-date ActiveX control blocking.

    The feature lets users know when IE prevents a web page from loading common, but outdated, ActiveX controls and interact with other parts of the page that aren’t affected by them. It also lets you update the outdated control and inventory the ActiveX controls your organization is using.

    “Based on customer feedback, we have decided to wait thirty days before blocking any out-of-date ActiveX controls,” Microsoft said in an update to the blog post. “Customers can use the new logging feature to assess ActiveX controls in their environment and deploy Group Policies to enforce blocking, turn off blocking ActiveX controls for specific domains, or turn off the feature entirely depending on their needs. The feature and related Group Policies will still be available on August 12, but no out-of-date ActiveX controls will be blocked until Tuesday, September 9th. Microsoft will continue to create a more secure browser, and we encourage all customers to upgrade and stay up-to-date with the latest Internet Explorer and updates.”

    Next month, only out-of-date Oracle Java ActiveX controls will be affected, and all others will continue their existing behavior. The feature will only prompt the user when an out-of-date version of Java is loaded as an ActiveX control.

    “Installing the most current version of the Java runtime significantly improves user security,” Microsoft says.

    Read the post (linked above) for more details on all of this. You may also want to check out this post on keeping Oracle Java updated.

  • Google Looks At Apparent IE Sponsored Post Spam

    Tech blogger/investor Michael Arrington revealed that someone who claimed to be a “social strategist on behalf of Microsoft” tried to get him to write about Internet Explorer for payment.

    The message he got says:

    Hi Michael,

    I work as a social strategist on behalf of Microsoft, and I wanted to invite you to collaborate on a sponsored post opportunity for Internet Explorer.

    We love your aesthetic and blogging style, and think you’d be the perfect partner to spread the word on the new Internet Explorer browsing experience!

    The new Internet Explorer is a brand new experience with many different features. This reworked Internet Explorer lets you search smarter and do more with its cool new features, such as multitasking, pinnable sites, and full-screen browsing.

    In this program, we are looking to spread the word about the new Internet Explorer web experience in a cool, visual way, which is where you come in! Internet Explorer has teamed up with many partners in gaming, entertainment, and more, and we’d love to see you talk about your opinions on these collaborations.

    If you accept our invitation to work on this program, we would like for you to write a blog post by July 10th, in addtion to sharing links to the new Internet Explorer across your social channels.

    Compesnsation for this post is available, and there will also be ample opportunities for fun prizes and rewards throughout the duration of the program.

    To learn all about the details of this program, please visit this page (http://unbouncepages.com/7975010c-edb3-11e3-b3e0-12314000cce6/).

    I look forward to working together.

    As Arrington notes, “This is just layers of stupid.”

    This is, after all, the founder of TechCrunch, who has referred to people being paid to shill products on their blogs as “pollution” in the past.

    When Arrington responded, asking if this was real, they replied that they weren’t sure how Arrington wound up on the list, and “Go TechCrunch!”

    The URL in the message has since been taken offline, and Google is even investigating what could be webpspam from its biggest competitor.

    Google’s Matt Cutts tweeted:

    He was then in contact with SocialChorus program strategist Gregg Hanano.

    As you may recall, Google actually had to penalize its own Chrome browser a while back for pretty much the same thing. The story there was that an outside agency was soliciting such posts on the company’s behalf.

    It doesn’t look like Internet Explorer has suffered such a penalty so far.

    Of course, Google’s competition with Microsoft adds a whole other layer to this. Microsoft is a big part of the FairSearch lobbying group that constantly tries to see antitrust regulation brought against Google.

    To be continued…

  • Internet Explorer: Stop Using It

    Internet Explorer: Stop Using It

    Everyone has a favorite Internet browser. If yours happens to be Internet Explorer, you may want to switch to a different one.

    Internet Explorer has numerous problems, but one of the worst is the current weakness in its security.

    Hackers are taking advantage of this weakness and are creating new attacks that can put malware and viruses on your computer with just one accidental click of your mouse.

    The hackers create websites that install the malware on your computer automatically. If you are using Internet Explorer and accidentally click on a wrong link that takes you to one of these websites, your computer could be infected in a matter of seconds.

    Malware can slow your computer down, cause popups and use up your storage space. It can also be hard to identify and remove. In some cases, you might not notice the malware, which might not seem so bad until you realize the hackers have used it to steal your identity and access your email, social networks and other important websites.

    “I’d say someone taking control of your computer is just the beginning of the worst case scenario,” said Adrian Sanabria, a security expert with 451research.com. “Because then they steal your info, get access to your email, etc.”

    Some malware programs allow the hackers to access anything on your computer or Internet network. That means they can find your passwords, look up your credit card numbers and even operate your computer’s webcam to spy on you while you are using your computer or leave it on.

    So what can you do to protect yourself from this type of malware?

    According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the best thing to do is stop using Internet Explorer completely, at least until the bug has been fixed. You can also disable your Adobe Flash plugin to prevent the malware from automatically downloading.

    Microsoft is working to fix the problem but is not sure how long it could take.

    What Internet browser do you use?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Internet Explorer Security Flaw Puts Users at Risk, Feds Say Switch Browsers

    If, for some reason, you still use Internet Explorer to browse the web, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security advises that you switch to a different browser for the time being. A major security flaw was exposed in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11 that could allow hackers to take over your computer.

    The security flaw was discovered over the weekend and reportedly “has the potential to give hackers the same user rights as the current user.” According to Microsoft, “The vulnerability exists in the way that Internet Explorer accesses an object in memory that has been deleted or has not been properly allocated. The vulnerability may corrupt memory in a way that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user within Internet Explorer.”

    Not only does the bug potentially allow users to control your computer, it could also give them access to your financial information. “They could start to maybe drop a keylogger on your system and watch when you go to do online banking, get access to your bank accounts, credit card info; that’s generally what these folks are looking for,” said Michael Gregg, COO of Superior Solutions, a Houston cybersecurity firm.

    What Can You Do?

    The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), part of the Department of Homeland Security, released a statement today advising Internet Explorer users to switch to a different browser. “US-CERT recommends that users and administrators enable Microsoft EMET where possible and consider employing an alternative web browser until an official update is available,” the statement reads.

    If you’ve never used another browser, the two most popular Internet browsers are Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. If you’re hesitant about installing a new browser, PC World suggests using Internet Explorer in a more secure mode by adjusting your security settings under Internet options.

    A Fix is Coming, But Windows XP Users Are Screwed

    Microsoft is working to issue a fix, unless you own a Windows XP–in which case, you’re out of luck. According to Forbes, approximately 25 percent of people still use Windows XP, and Microsoft ended tech support for XP earlier this month.

    Microsoft issued the following warning to XP users less than three weeks ago: “If you continue to use Windows XP after support ends, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses.” No surprise there, but the timing of this bug has some people wondering whether Microsoft ignored the problem to force people into upgrading from XP.

    Huge security threat aside, the people who haven’t used Internet Explorer as their main browser since the early part of the millennium aren’t hesitating to pile on:

    Image via Facebook

  • Internet Explorer 11 Gets Enterprise Mode

    Microsoft announced that it has launched an update to Internet Explorer 11 with an Enterprise Mode feature aimed at helping businesses keep up to date with software, service, and device releases. It’s available on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. Microsoft says it provides better compatibility for older versions of IE and tools to manage which Web apps use it.

    “Businesses can benefit from the modern Web standards, better performance, and increased security of our latest browser, while extending existing investments in legacy Web apps. And by decreasing dependencies on older versions, Internet Explorer is helping customers stay up-to-date with Windows 8.1, services like Office 365, and devices like the Surface Pro 2,” say IE program manager lead Kevin Miller and product marketing manager Fred Pullen in a joint blog post.

    “Many businesses are experiencing tension between today’s Web apps and services—which may require modern standards like HTML5 and CSS3—and older Web apps and services, designed for older versions of Internet Explorer,” the add. “Legacy apps often represent a significant investment and have long, multi-year lifecycles, effectively making these customers dependent on an older version of Internet Explorer until they can upgrade these Web apps to modern Web standards.”

    Enterprise Mode

    They note that many businesses are still using Internet Explorer 8, and that IE 11 with Enterprise Mode can provide better backward compatibility. They get into more technical details about how it does this in the post.

    You’ll also learn more about the feature from this session from Microsoft’s Build conference called “Better APp Compat with Enterprise Mode for Internet Explorer 11” when it becomes available.

    A Windows 8.1 update for iE 11 is available for download, with automatic updates starting April 8th for Windows 7 and 8.1. A Windows Phone 8.1 version was also announced. More on the browser itself here.

    Images via Microsoft

  • Internet Explorer Thinks Its Time To Rethink The Modern Web

    Internet Explorer has come a long way since it became the butt of every Internet browser joke back in the mid-2000s. While it’s still looked down upon by those who use any other browser, Microsoft has transformed what was once an objectively bad browser into a pretty good one. Heck, it has even has its own official magical girl mascot – no other browser can claim that.

    It’s with that in mind that Microsoft is kicking off 2014 with its Rethink campaign for Internet Explorer. While we’ve had some laughs with the company’s previous “Browser you loved to hate” campaign, it now wants to focus on what Internet Explorer 11 can bring to a user’s Web experience. With support for pretty much every modern Web technology, including WebGL, Internet Explorer 11 wants to win hearts and minds this year.

    In the latest promo video, Microsoft points to all the Web apps that show off the power of Internet Explorer 11. Unsurprisingly, most of the apps are games as the complex 3D rendering made possible through WebGL just shows how far Internet Explorer has come.

    So, what’s next for Internet Explorer? Microsoft says that 2014 has it “more excited than ever at the possibilities,” but doesn’t provide any specifics on what it may be working on. While it may have just been a promotion, I wouldn’t complain if Microsoft decided to bring back SkiFree in 2014.

    Image via internetexplorer/YouTube

  • Internet Explorer 11 Now Hits Window 7 Officially

    Internet Explorer 11 has now been launched for Window 7 users too. Earlier, Microsoft had promised that the new Explorer will arrive on Windows 7, so this isn’t a big surprise. IE11 is the default browser of Windows 8.1. Starting Thursday, users of Window 7 who decided to remain behind in the launch of Windows 8 (later 8.1) will now enjoy the features of IE11 as well.

    Although there isn’t much difference between IE11 from its previous versions, IE11 is a worthy upgrade for anyone using Windows 7. However, Microsoft says that the javascript engine of IE11 is almost 10% faster than IE10 and 30% faster than browsers like Chrome and Firefox.

    The new Explorer also supports most of the newest apps and plugins like HTML5 video without plugins as well as the latest version of WebGL. There are other subtle upgrades to IE11 that will create the feeling of faster browsing. Improvements include its prefetching capabilities as well as updates to F12 developer tools for Microsoft. One drawback, however, is that IE11 doesn’t support Google’s SPDY protocol.

    Another interesting feature of IE11 is its enhanced security features that are capable of blocking socially engineered malware. According to the NSS Labs study, Internet Explorer can block about 99 % of malware while Firefox blocks only 4% and Chrome blocks only 70% of the socially engineered malware. Similar percentages apply in terms of blocking phishing attacks. In short, IE11 offers advanced JavaScript performance, better security and ensures greater compatibility and interoperability.

    According to Internet Explorer group program managers Rob Mauceri and Sandeep Singhal, Microsoft will begin automatically  updating Windows 7 customers to IE11 in the weeks ahead, starting today (Thursday) with customers running the IE11 Developer and Release Previews,” Users can download the new Internet Explorer 11 from Microsoft’s website.

    (image from Microsoft.com)

  • Microsoft Turned Internet Explorer Into A Magical Girl (And It’s Awesome)

    Pretty Cure? Old hat. Madoka Magica? Nobody cares anymore. Princess Tutu? Art house garbage. The world of magical girl anime needs a new savior, and Microsoft has just come to the rescue.

    Say hello to Inori Aizawa, Microsoft’s anime personification of Internet Explorer 11. This is a real marketing effort on behalf of Microsoft to get all those otaku who swear by Google Chrome to start using Internet Explorer again. Will it work? Well, Moetan effectively taught lazy Japanese otaku the English language so anything is possible.

    Oh, and this isn’t some simple rebranding of their image. Microsoft even commissioned a short animation that happens to be the greatest thing you will see today. Note: For some reason, Microsoft has disabled embedded viewing but you can watch it by clicking on the video below.

    Microsoft has gone all in with the magical girl image by even giving Aizawa her own generic magical girl backstory:

    Hey everyone! My name is Inori and you can think of me as a personification of Internet Explorer.

    When I was younger, I used to be a clumsy, slow and awkward girl.

    However, just like the story of ugly duckling, people told me that I have really matured and changed over the years. I feel confident in my abilities now, and I’m eager to show you what I can do.

    Microsoft says that Aizawa was created by their Singapore offices in celebration of Anime Festival Asia 2013. She’s dedicated to “all anime fans worldwide.”

    As part of the promotion, Microsoft will be releasing a special version of Internet Explorer that’s themed after Aizawa. It will be available at www.internetexplorertan.com, but the URL currently redirects to the Facebook page for now.

    Microsoft Turned Internet Explorer Into A Magical Girl

    It should go live in the next few days. When it does, you know what to do.

    [Image: internetexplorer/YouTube]
    [h/t: Kotaku]