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A new Microsoft browser?

quirksmode.org

41–50 of 125 posts

Re: A new Microsoft browser?

#41
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IE has been automatically updating for a while now.

Yes but... I used to work for a large financial institution that wouldn't let any of us do anything to our computers so we were all stuck with outdated IE that didn't update itself automatically

That's a policy problem rather than a technical or provider problem. I bet if your employer used Chrome they'd just lock down the version of that as well, courtesy of https://support.google.com/installer/answer/146164?hl=en

Re: A new Microsoft browser?

#42
post #26

Recently the news broke that Microsoft may be working on another browser instead of IE. After reviewing the available evidence I’ve come to the conclusion that, although Microsoft is making a few adjustments, and a name change for IE might be a good idea, the new browser will essentially be IE12. Still, I think we web developers should support the “new browser” narrative. This is how you start an article. I didn't re…

In case you weren't aware, this is referred to as the inverted pyramid (and of course I totally agree -- this is how you start an article):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_pyramid

Re: A new Microsoft browser?

#43

It's a good idea to create a new browser that updates automatically every few weeks like chrome rather than IE, which normally can't update automatically because of corporate policies.

IE 11 has automatic updates, check out its "info" dialog! Though I saw several corporate PCs where the admins turned the autoupdate off.

Older IE got updates through Windows Update. The last IE version for WinXP was IE 8.

If IE 12 doesn't come with a transparent IE compatibility mode and just starts a IE 11 window, corporate admins will probably set IE 11 as default browser.

So developers of enterprise websites are stuck with IE 11 and its almost finished but a bit broken HTML5 support for years to come :(

Re: A new Microsoft browser?

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lack of an addon architecture is what completely killed IE for me. No adblock is a no-go. (It's also the non-idealogical reason I use FF on Android: Chrome is locked down.)

Pretty sure IE has an adblock extension

Right but as I understand, it uses some binary hacking/undocumented APIs to go about it's job. I also use Vimperator, various tracking blockers, search redirectors (disconnect me for Google search), etc.

Re: A new Microsoft browser?

#46
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See also: Yahoo, but with #2 as "Acquire at large premium". Any company with more cash than cultural relevance will do the same. I don't think bing belongs on your list though. It's not making headway in the market, but it's not dead yet either.

Yeah, Bing and Windows Phone are still going but Bing is losing $3 billion a year, and Windows phone is losing market share despite sales increasing. It's only a matter of time before their plugs are pulled.

Bing isn't losing money anymore, they're finally breaking even as of last year.

Re: A new Microsoft browser?

#47

It's a good idea to create a new browser that updates automatically every few weeks like chrome rather than IE, which normally can't update automatically because of corporate policies.

I've heard once or twice that, after one of the IE-related antitrust cases, Microsoft has been imposed a pretty heavy official procedure to release a new version of IE, that contributes to the slowness of the release cycle. If that's real, I wonder if this fork could have the additional benefit of circumventing this procedure.

Re: A new Microsoft browser?

#48
Does anyone have idea if the idiocy of integrating the IE browser so deep inside the os is finally solved, that version updates are possible? And will spartan be stand alone binary, like IE should have been at launch?

Re: A new Microsoft browser?

#49

I will give it a try if the new browser no longer supports ActiveX and has better extension supports similar to Chrome.

ActiveX isn't a major concern, in current IE if you look in the security tab in the Internet context, it is pretty locked down and damn near depreciated. Intranet is more liberal. But a lot of enterprises add their internal portals to the trusted list if they still depend on ActiveX (as a depressingly large number do). Chrome and Firefox's extensions are better. Although Firefox's extension model is a little clunky d…

If Microsoft kills ActiveX in the new browser, it will force everyone to stop depending on ActiveX. You would be very surprised how many websites outside of the U.S. still depend on ActiveX, and these are critical websites like banking and government. Hence, killing ActiveX support is important to me.
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