‘INTERNET EXPLORER’

Microsoft Closes Its Oldest Browser

Microsoft shutting down Internet Explorer

Tech giant Microsoft on Wednesday, June 15, is finally shutting down its oldest browser - the Internet Explorer (IE). The 27-year-old application now joins BlackBerry phones, dial-up modems & Palm Pilots in the dustbin of tech history. IE's demise was not a surprise. The company had been releasing caveats about the shutdown since March. Microsoft is now asking its users to switch to its ‘Edge browser’ - which is known to give a faster and more secure browsing experience.

Anout Internet Explorer 

Internet Explorer debuted in August 1995 as an add-on package for Windows 95. It had been famous search engines and by 1996 it was Javascript-enabled. In 2001, IE realesed its 6th version. The version had support for CSS. It was Internet Explorer’s most popular version. It allowed users to view JPEGs and GIFs and by 2004, had cornered 95% of the market. The 8th version of IE had support for CSS 2.1, AJAX and RSS. To save favourite sites, a ‘Favourite’ tab was added.

Downfall of Internet Explorer

The downfall of Internet Explorer began to take place in January 2016. Except IE 11, Microsoft had discontinued its active technical support for all other versions of Internet Explorer. The company preferred Microsoft Edge browser over IE. The launch of faster browsers such as Chrome and Firefox dented IE's popularity, as users seized on new applications to navigate platforms including Google Search, You Tube & Facebook. Several users began complaining that IE was slow, prone to crashing, & vulnerable to hacks. Today, the Chrome browser dominates with roughly a 65 % share of the world wide browser market, followed by Apple’s Safari with 19 %, while Microsoft’s Edge lags with about 4%. The growth of smartphones then arguably delivered the fatal blow, with Apple's pre-installed Safari browser & Google Chrome on Android phones helping to shift internet access & usage into the mobile realm.

Internet Explorer for user

A user reckoned that IE is nothing but complying with the changing tide of technology, as new things emerge on the Internet, & people were more likely to follow optimized technical services, but IE's presence could not be eliminated. While netizens believe that Internet Exploror sitting back for another five years would not be a problem, just leave IE for those certification examinations, as some exams in China designated IE registration website due to its compatibility.

Reports about Internet Explorer

According to a report by Mashable, after the desktop app goes out of support, Microsoft will push out a Windows Update that completely removes Internet Explorer from Windows 10 devices altogether & redirects users to Edge if they try to access the app. However, the IE 11 desktop applications on other Windows versions including Windows 8.1, Windows 7 ESU, Windows SAC, or Windows 10 IoT LTSC will remain unchanged. Internet Explorer's legacy is sure to live on even after its retirement, having come pre-installed on Windows computers for more than two decades.

Criticism faced by Internet Explorer

For years, Internet Explorer gathered criticism for being slow, bloated, and not very secure, so for the majority of users, this probably won’t seem to make a big difference at all as Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than IE, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications. However, because the browser was so prominent in the late 90s & early 2000s, some business sites still reckon upon it for legacy functionality, which is why this transition has been dragged out for years. Now, it will be withdrawn a little longer, since Microsoft decided to gradually move users away from IE instead of dropping support completely. While his vision of "a microcomputer on every desk & in every home, running Microsoft software" might now seem reminiscent of a bygone era of dial-up internet, IE is set to be remembered as one of the key tools that shaped the way the internet is used & accessed even today.