IE left to die?

[HyperionX]

http://news.com.com/IE--embraced%2C+ext ... 88831.html

It has been years since Microsoft declared victory over browser pioneer Netscape Communications, and a long time since it last released a full upgrade to Internet Explorer (IE). Now critics say the company is fulfilling old predictions that it would embrace the browser and extend its capabilities, only to extinguish it.

Redmond rejects that notion, saying instead that the long wait for an IE update is an indication of the work it's putting into the next incarnation of the browser. If Microsoft's plans pan out, it will unveil dramatic new features that will take Web browsing to an entirely new level--in many ways stepping beyond the browser completely.

Because those features will be available only to people who also use the next version of Microsoft's Windows operating system, currently dubbed Longhorn, browser functions are expected to create a powerful reason for customers to upgrade.

"It's not accurate to say we're not doing work in this space," said Michael Wallent, general manager of Microsoft's Windows client platform and documents team. "My team, which is very large, has been working very hard the last three and a half years....We have not blown off IE at all. We care deeply about this market. It's supercritical."

Web developers and surfers alike might be forgiven for having suspected Microsoft of caring less than deeply about the browser.

Microsoft's last major browser release was in August 2001. The company in the summer of 2003 discontinued its browser for the Macintosh and said it would issue no more standalone versions of IE. Last month, the company released new IE security features in its Service Pack 2 (SP2) for the Windows XP operating system, but said only XP users would get those improvements.

<*SNIP*>

"Still, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me," O'Grady said. "If Microsoft just added a few new features like tabbed browsing, it would automatically eliminate a lot of the basis for criticism that it is taking right now. I don't know technically what is involved. But I can't see why an organization the size of Microsoft can't do that. The only conclusion I can come to is that the browser is not the important platform to them that it once was."

After using Firefox/Mozilla for about year now, I cringe every time I have to use IE again. It just sucks, though the popup blocker makes it tolerable at least. Anyways, I find it hard to believe that MS hasn't neglected IE giving how bad and out of date it is IMO.

[HyperionX]

Oops, wrong forum. Please move this one.

[Stravo]

Topic moved.

[Mr Bean]

The new pop-up blocker is nice

And its still the most popluar simply because... Its integrated
Sure for those "tech savvy" fokes, the Firefox or Mozilla is popluar but most people use IE cause its there and does not require any work to get

They don't KNOW about other browsers, they don't KNOW because they've never see any browser BESIDES IE

[Faram]

And this is a load of bull.

Microsoft is only halting non security related updates for w2k and stuff like that.

Security updates for IE5 and sutch will be provided for the product support time

Anyways I only care about ser5vers and anyone trying to surf from a server and I found out about it, let's just say there is cases where I support the death penealty.

[Praxis]

http://news.com.com/IE--embraced%2C+ext ... 88831.html

It has been years since Microsoft declared victory over browser pioneer Netscape Communications, and a long time since it last released a full upgrade to Internet Explorer (IE). Now critics say the company is fulfilling old predictions that it would embrace the browser and extend its capabilities, only to extinguish it.

Redmond rejects that notion, saying instead that the long wait for an IE update is an indication of the work it's putting into the next incarnation of the browser. If Microsoft's plans pan out, it will unveil dramatic new features that will take Web browsing to an entirely new level--in many ways stepping beyond the browser completely.

Because those features will be available only to people who also use the next version of Microsoft's Windows operating system, currently dubbed Longhorn, browser functions are expected to create a powerful reason for customers to upgrade.

"It's not accurate to say we're not doing work in this space," said Michael Wallent, general manager of Microsoft's Windows client platform and documents team. "My team, which is very large, has been working very hard the last three and a half years....We have not blown off IE at all. We care deeply about this market. It's supercritical."

Web developers and surfers alike might be forgiven for having suspected Microsoft of caring less than deeply about the browser.

Microsoft's last major browser release was in August 2001. The company in the summer of 2003 discontinued its browser for the Macintosh and said it would issue no more standalone versions of IE. Last month, the company released new IE security features in its Service Pack 2 (SP2) for the Windows XP operating system, but said only XP users would get those improvements.

<*SNIP*>

"Still, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me," O'Grady said. "If Microsoft just added a few new features like tabbed browsing, it would automatically eliminate a lot of the basis for criticism that it is taking right now. I don't know technically what is involved. But I can't see why an organization the size of Microsoft can't do that. The only conclusion I can come to is that the browser is not the important platform to them that it once was."

After using Firefox/Mozilla for about year now, I cringe every time I have to use IE again. It just sucks, though the popup blocker makes it tolerable at least. Anyways, I find it hard to believe that MS hasn't neglected IE giving how bad and out of date it is IMO.

I've used Internet Explorer 7 (with the Longhorn Alpha). The completely redesigned interface is illogical and sucks, but the interface is part of the Alpha of Longhorn, so it's forgiveable. Other than the popup blocking and the number 7 and 24-bit PNG transparency support (maybe CSS 2, not sure), there's not much new.


Oh, but Microsoft DID halt all work in IE for Mac completely at version 5.5. But thats old news.

[Stark]

That article is so full of PM-esque marketing-speak it hurts. I have to study that shit, you know...

[Durandal]

There was never an Internet Explorer 5.5 for Mac. The last version was, I believe, 5.2.3. And it was total, utter shit.

[White Haven]

I need to start working on my boss, see if I can't bring him over to the idea of putting Mozilla on customer machines. Yes, many of the ones we build are for your basic idjit-level user who'll be all 'wtf Mozilla,' but gah.

[Ma Deuce]

There was never an Internet Explorer 5.5 for Mac. The last version was, I believe, 5.2.3. And it was total, utter shit.

I believe they were working on IE v5.5 for Mac but cancelled it during development, thus it never saw the light of day...

[Praxis]

There was never an Internet Explorer 5.5 for Mac. The last version was, I believe, 5.2.3. And it was total, utter shit.

Sorry, you're right. I meant 5.2.

Unlike IE for Windows, IE for Mac has a download manager. That's frustrating. Why?

IE has a download manager. Mozilla has a download manager. FireFox has a download manager. Camino has a download manager. Netscape has a download manager (I think). EVERY SINGLE MAC BROWSER has a download manager.

Now, if I want to download, say, the Mac version of Jedi Knight 2...the LucasArts link no longer works, nor does the most common Mac host for it. The only ones I could find are 3ddownloads and Fileplanet...and both of them make it impossible for you to download something with a download manager.

[Pu-239]

Wget works with Fileplanet (may have to set the referrer- not sure).