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Die, IE! Die!

October 28, 2020.

Internet Explorer tombstone.

Requiescat in pace. © iStock.

Are you STILL using Internet Explorer? If so, life as you know it is about to end, since Microsoft has finally and mercifully decided to put an end to its agony (IE’s). And to forestall backsliding, Microsoft will make it impossible to access 1,156 sites with IE, including some strategic ones like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. In fact, you’ll find that Edge launches automagically every time you try to access these sites. Given that older versions of Internet Explorer have been the scourge of web developers for a very long time and that many of them have abandoned all compatibility efforts, and even if generous estimates suggest that Internet Explorer would still account for no more than 5 percent of today’s web traffic, Microsoft’s move cannot be condemned. Obviously, this new action is only available on systems where both Edge and IE are installed. That’s probably why, last June, Microsoft deployed a compulsory Windows update that installed a non-uninstallable version of Edge without waiting for your permission.

The Verge, Sean Hollister, “Microsoft Internet Explorer users may be surprised when they get redirected to Edge next month.”

ZDNet, Catalin Cimpanu, “Microsoft will forcibly open some websites in Edge instead of Internet Explorer.”