One of the core issues that Microsoft is facing in the browser-war is that many users of the Internet Explorer browser are not updating the web browser. If you look at the browser’s market share, you will notice that users are still working with Internet Explorer 6, 7 or 8 and not the latest version Internet Explorer 9 (IE8 for XP users). And while market shares differ depending on the way they are monitored, it is safe to say that a large part of Internet Explorer users are using outdated browser versions.
Other browsers offer automatic updates regularly to keep their user base on the latest version. And while that works well for some (Chrome), others browser developers are also experiencing a divided user base. The reason for not updating is usually different though. Most Firefox users know for instance that a new version is available (as it is displayed to them). They choose to stay with an earlier version of the browser because of design, compatibility or performance reasons.
A new announcement on the Windows Team Blog details that Microsoft is going to change the way the browser is updated from next year on.
Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 users will receive automatic upgrades to update their version of Internet Explorer to the latest one. Depending on the operating system, they are either updated to Internet Explorer 8 (in the case of XP), or Internet Explorer 9 when they are running Vista or 7.
Australian and Brazilian users will receive the first batch of updates in January, followed by users from other countries soon thereafter.
It needs to be noted though that that customers and organizations still have options to avoid the automatic deployment of the new Internet Explorer version on their PC systems. Customers who have previously declined the installation of IE8 or IE9 will not be asked again to install it. Organizations who want to make sure that the browser is not updated automatically can install blocker kits to prevent this from happening.
Available for download and deployment are Blocker Toolkits for Internet Explorer 8 and IE9.
It is likely that the majority of organizations will use the blockers to avoid the automatic installation of a newer version of Internet Explorer on their systems. Most end users on the other hand are likely to accept the browser update, which may improve security on their PC system significantly.
Related Articles:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 Beta Updates ReleasedInternet Explorer 8 Can Be Uninstalled In Latest Windows 7 Build
Uninstall Microsoft Internet Explorer 8
Internet Explorer 8 To Be Distributed Via Automatic Updates
Microsoft Pushes Out Second Internet Explorer 10 Preview
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This is an Upgrade , not an update and it won’t pass in EU.
Probably not. The EU is not one of Microsoft’s best friends! :)
That’s nice, but I don’t use IE, for obvious reasons, but it appears that Microsoft is following Mozilla and attempting to stay ahead of Firefox and Chrome!
Good luck with that! :)
By the way, Chrome 15 is the most used browser according to Statcounter with 23.6 % of market share while IE8 has 23.5%.
Who cares about the EU! There won’t be an EU in the next 6 month.
I don’t update IE because I never use IE. It just sits there, doing nothing while I browse with Opera and sometimes FF.
@kalmly, You use Windows, you use IE in the background whether you want or not, which still poses security threats to your system.
I agree. Programs can use IE’s rendering engine for instance to display contents.
To add ilev and Martin’s replies : For instance when you sign-into Yahoo! Messenger and pop-up (My Yahoo!) loads.
OR
When you use Skype InApp account manager
OR etc…
I only use FF in XP-SP3.
I ** never ** use IE6 for browsing at all,
(except for the monthly “Windows Update”).
That IE6 is still used in the bkg. by other Win progs.,
could be dangerous.
Could someone give more examples of which known Win progs.
actually use IE6 in the bkg.?
Thanks a lot…
wrong links for Blocker Toolkit
Available for download and deployment are Blocker Toolkits for spx?displaylang=en&id=14149″>Internet Explorer 8 and IE9.
You are right, corrected. Thanks for letting me know about it.
SFdude,
as I said above, those applications are most used.
Actually, they use IE to render pages. not only IE6.
It depends on what version you already have install on your windows machine.
Hope it helps.
yes, thank you Sina – it does help.
……..
So, here’s an idea to “de-activate” IE6 in XP-SP3,
(except to do the monthly Windows Update,
outside the sandbox)…
I always use FF inside a sandbox (“Sandboxie”).
Anyone out there using “Sandboxie” in XP:
…how can you tell the sandbox
NOT to allow IE6 to be used,
in case it is silently called by another regular program I’m using ?
thks!
@SFdude,
You can’t uninstall or de-activate IE as it is deeply woven in Windows. Even those Windows PCs sold in EU (without IE by law) have the IE rendering parts in the OS.
Many years ago, I worked on a Windows PC where I wanted to connect a printer. I knew it had a broken IE, so I used an alternate browser to surf the web. However, the printer install software required IE to do the install. There was no choice to select an alternate browser. After several hours of trying to reinstall IE, I gave up and dragged out the Windows CDs and did a reinstall. All that to be able to print from my new printer.
That lesson taught me all about this issue. Nevertheless, being an avid Linux fan, I have not depended on IE in any way since 1999. Firefox and Opera seem to be OK, but I would recommend staying away from Chrome because it is controlled entirely by the giant google, an advertising company that monetized your personal preferences.