R.I.P. Internet Explorer
It’s the end of an era for Microsoft as the software giant is set to replace Internet Explorer with a new web browser.
Currently known only by its code name, Project Spartan, the browser will accompany the Windows 10 launch later this year.
Chris Capossela, chief marketing officer for Microsoft, made the revelation at the Microsoft Convergence conference this past week, according to tech news site The Verge.
“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 . . . code-named Project Spartan. We have to name the thing.”
But in a market dominated by Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox users, few are likely to shed tears over the loss of Internet Explorer.
Internet Explorer has had a mixed history over the past 20 years. If nothing else, it’s very polarizing topic. Some people still say they love it, most people say they dislike it or hate it.
As an IT Service provider we were always concerned about the underlying security issues when using Internet Explorer as your primary browser. I think it’s a smart move completely reinventing Windows and reinventing their web browser to go along with that.
Less than a decade ago Internet Explorer was the most popular browser by far, whose dominance inspired antitrust lawsuits by the U.S. federal government and the European Union. However, IE became unpopular for a number of reasons, including security flaws and user unfriendliness.
While Microsoft has not officially announced plans to kill off Internet Explorer, it’s likely the end goal once the new browser and Windows 10 takes off later this year.
