Microsoft is taking desperate steps to stop you using Internet Explorer:
In the summer, Microsoft confirmed it would kill off defunct web browsers Internet Explorer and Edge Legacy, as plans for a phased termination are brought to a close.
However, a sizable pool of users have remained loyal to Internet Explorer, forcing Microsoft to take additional steps to incentivize switching to the new Chromium-based Edge.
Now, when an Internet Explorer user visits an incompatible site - of which there are currently more than 1,000 - the page will be launched automatically in Microsoft Edge, along with a message that reads: "This website doesn't work in Internet Explorer".
The roster of websites that do not support Internet Explorer is ever-expanding and currently includes popular services Twitter, Instagram, Google Drive, Yahoo Mail and more.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday October 28 2020, @04:28AM (18 children)
like about 20 years ago.
(Score: 2) by Arik on Wednesday October 28 2020, @04:32AM (6 children)
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday October 28 2020, @05:58AM (5 children)
Because IE was a huge part of the evil perpetrated upon the world, by Microsoft. How are those in-house apps designed for use with IE working out for you today? Is that house of cards still standing?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Arik on Wednesday October 28 2020, @06:07AM (4 children)
Three of them, continuing to work perfectly, aside from occasional apocalyptic warnings that any day now they might quit working.
For no reason, really. Just gotta make you serfs get used to the idea of marching where we say, when we say.
WTF did you think would happen?
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @06:37AM (3 children)
"apocalyptic warnings" was the clue.
(Score: 2) by Arik on Wednesday October 28 2020, @07:05AM (2 children)
Won't suck for anyone but them.
I can change my links in 30 seconds.
Dumbass.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @07:14AM (1 child)
OK time to put the meth pipe down.
(Score: 1) by Arik on Wednesday October 28 2020, @07:20AM
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 5, Informative) by RS3 on Wednesday October 28 2020, @05:40AM (6 children)
Yes, but they were too busy "proving" in court that IE had to be installed for Windows to run. We all know that was a huge lie, but MS couldn't drop IE until the court cases went away, and hope people forgot or just don't care anymore.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @12:53PM (1 child)
It was better that they kept it, IE cost MS something like $3bn due to the buggy nature of the crap and I don't think that even included court costs from the case.
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Wednesday October 28 2020, @05:26PM
Court costs would of course be part of accounting, but I'm pretty sure it would be "funny money", IE (had to use that!) they had and have staff of lawyers already on payroll / retainer. The only thing worse than a lawyer is one who isn't kept busy.
The cynical me thinks a lot of this stuff is smokescreen (something that takes up people's attention and hides what's really going on). But I don't want to give MS too much credit for cleverness. Well, in those days it was Gates, so yeah, devious cleverness. I'm not so sure what's going on at MS now...
(Score: 3, Interesting) by FatPhil on Wednesday October 28 2020, @03:39PM (3 children)
"One cannot delete the Web browser from KDE without losing the ability to
manage files on the user's own hard disk."
-- Prof. Stuart E Madnick, MIT, "expert" witness for Microsoft. 2002/05/02
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Wednesday October 28 2020, @05:20PM (2 children)
Wish I had been there. I'd have asked: "Is the web browser the ONLY possible way to manage files?"
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Friday October 30 2020, @01:29AM (1 child)
Does 'ls' work without a web browser installed?
Does 'mkdir' work without a web browser installed?
Does 'mv' work without a web browser installed?
Does 'cp' work without a web browser installed?
Does 'rm' work without a web browser installed?
Which bit of "ls, mkdir, mv, cp, and rm" do you not consider to be "file management"?
Alas there were only lawyers in the room, and lawyers are worse than "experts".
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Friday October 30 2020, @03:18AM
All good points, but in the context of the Windows OS, they were trying to claim you had to have IE for file management. I didn't follow the whole mess, but at some point they conceded something or another and you could "uninstall" IE, but the main mshtml.dll and other libraries stayed onboard. It might have been as far back as Win98, but I remember a "view desktop as html" option that I always thought was drummed up only to bolster their case.
Your *nix command questions might have also bolstered their case, in that MS could have argued that Windows does things differently, that it's their unique "innovation" to use the web browser to manage files, and that they were going to integrate it over the web with other computers (WebDAV).
Certainly agree re: lawyers, but IMHO worse is the judges who generally don't understand technology enough to make those decisions, but they make them anyway. At some point years later everyone got tired of the whole thing.
(Score: 2) by coolgopher on Wednesday October 28 2020, @07:11AM (3 children)
And if they were serious about it they'd just have rolled out a mandatory update that removed it from the OS altogether. It wouldn't be the first "feature" they deactivated.
(Score: 2) by SomeGuy on Wednesday October 28 2020, @12:49PM
Keep in mind that the issue here is not just people opening the Internet Explorer application and viewing a web page.
Microsoft Internet explorer was designed to be embeddable and controlled programmatically from within other applications. Microsoft very, very heavily pushed this feature because it was a way to crate lock-in.
There are still many applications out there that stupidly embed IE in one form or another (it may not even be visible). Completely remove IE, and those applications may not run at all.
(Score: 2) by Dr Spin on Wednesday October 28 2020, @08:42PM (1 child)
I read that as if they were serious about it they'd just have rolled out a mandatory update that removed the OS altogether.
A assumed MS had finally decided it was cheaper to sell Ubuntu!
I was about to have a third brandy to celebrate!
Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 29 2020, @02:29AM
In a choice between Windows and Ubuntu I'd probably have to pick Windows these days. Neither appeals, but at least I can keep gaming on Windows.
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Wednesday October 28 2020, @04:35AM (5 children)
User: I love Internet Explorer!
(time passes)
User: WTF?! my beloved IE can't open this web page, because MS did something!!!
User; Well, if I'm going to have to get a new browser anyway maybe I'll try (non MS browser> instead since MS screwed me over with my beloved IE!!
Yeah, probably won't be a significant number of IE users, who will in all likely just switch to whatever MS tells them to use, but for some this will be what drives them away from any browser from MS.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Arik on Wednesday October 28 2020, @04:56AM (3 children)
This might be where you are wrong.
At this point in time, I'd bet you all I have on decent odds that a decent number of the remaining IE users will indeed think just that.
Unfortunately, they'll go to chrome most often, and that's just and edge clone.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by Arik on Wednesday October 28 2020, @04:57AM
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Wednesday October 28 2020, @07:13PM (1 child)
Honestly I hope your right. It would improve my opinion of general users.
And for my money even Chrome is better than anything from MS, if for no other reason than it's not from MS. I'd rather have two big Evil monsters fighting over the Internet than one Evil monster in control of the Internet.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 2) by Arik on Wednesday October 28 2020, @11:10PM
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @06:17AM
...goes looking up "browser detection in 2020"... IE and Edge get 404... :)
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @05:11AM (1 child)
WO2020060606
Here is the patent for Microsoft 1. WO2020060606 - CRYPTOCURRENCY SYSTEM
USING BODY ACTIVITY DATA
Look at the patent number, literally, "world order 2020 666." This from the
same guy who is publicly saying he wants to put microchip tracking on every
human on earth to prove you have been vaccinated, to allow you to buy or
sell.. Bill Gates needs to Beg God for forgiveness. Science with out Gods
standards is propelling humanity towards a calamity of biblical proportions.
Even if Bill repents, Elon Musk has made and is rolling out a 5g satellite
grid around the whole earth and brain chips. This is not a joke, this is
some fucked up shit..
- Revelation 13:16:
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to
receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
- Revelation 14:9:
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man
worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or
in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,
which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he
shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy
angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.
#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#
MAKE AMERICA LOBOTOMIZED AGAIN
-------------------------------
The Untold Story of JFK's Sister, Rosemary Kennedy, and Her Disastrous Lobotomy
https://people.com/politics/untold-story-of-rosemary-kennedy-and-her-disastrous-lobotomy/ [people.com]
The Forgotten Story Of Rosemary Kennedy, Who Was Lobotomized So That JFK Could Succeed
https://allthatsinteresting.com/rosemary-kennedy-lobotomy [allthatsinteresting.com]
The Truth About Rosemary Kennedy's Lobotomy
A never-before-seen photo surfaces of the forgotten Kennedy, who, after a disastrous
lobotomy, was rarely heard from again
https://people.com/books/rosemary-kennedy-the-truth-about-her-lobotomy/ [people.com]
When Rosemary was 23 years of age, doctors told her father that a form of psychosurgery
known as a lobotomy would help calm her mood swings and stop her occasional violent
outbursts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Kennedy#Lobotomy [wikipedia.org]
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @05:18AM
AND BINGO WAS HIS FUCKING NAME OH!
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @05:31AM (1 child)
That used to be the reason to use IE, even when if violated W3 standards. And only now it is a reason not to use Micro$oft's piece of shit? Amazing!!
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @06:01AM
Maybe we just need to upgrade to IE6 with it's added security?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @06:06AM (2 children)
[quote]Now, when an Internet Explorer user visits an incompatible site - of which there are currently more than 1,000 - the page will be launched automatically in Microsoft Edge, along with a message that reads: "This website doesn't work in Internet Explorer".[/quote]
And like I taught her for the last 25 years, grandma will close the popup and ignore the message as usual.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @02:44PM (1 child)
so *you're* the problem
don't fuckin do that
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @04:41PM
You're right - now I've told her to click all the popups.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by RamiK on Wednesday October 28 2020, @09:18AM (3 children)
Instead of playing around they should just disable javascript (and activex) by default so the browser will be safe to use.
compiling...
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @12:12PM (2 children)
Nope - I HAVE TO STILL USE IT for that very reason. Printers and other standalone devices (you can think IOT but worst) REQUIRE those services. Some of these devices are REQUIRED by LAW(!) for monitoring smelters and furnaces.
As said before MS needs to get of their butt and fix all of these secondary systesms FIRST.! Hell we just had XP installed on the network, becuase of legal requirements for monitoring. It cannot even be patched, because it is licensed - like medical equipment - the upgrade and testing is cost prohibitive.
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Wednesday October 28 2020, @01:26PM
I've repeated "by default" both in the title and the post since the embedded applications that still require javascript and/or activex could have those enabled after being appropriately air gaped / hardened.
compiling...
(Score: 2) by jb on Thursday October 29 2020, @03:08AM
If you live somewhere where there is a law requiring you to use one specific vendor's software, then you need a new government a whole lot more urgently than you need a new web browser.
(Score: 1) by r_a_trip on Wednesday October 28 2020, @09:41AM (1 child)
I wonder why MS doesn't skin Edge to look like IE and offer it separately as Internet Explorer 2020. Just warn upfront that support for legacy technology ActiveX has been dropped. Stick in the muds happy and far less backlash.
(Score: 3, Funny) by everdred on Wednesday October 28 2020, @02:40PM
Because they probably want everybody to forget IE ever existed.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Wednesday October 28 2020, @12:36PM (2 children)
Are these really desperate measures? Sounds more like a nuisance or being quite annoying -- sort of like poking the users repeatedly begging them to change.
If they wanted to do something radical they would just sneak in an "update patch" that backed up the bookmarks and settings from IE and then uninstalled IE followed by an installation of the the latest Edge version (or whatever browser they want their users on now), and imported and applied the bookmarks and settings to it. I'm willing to bet that 95% of the IE users wouldn't even notice it unless they told them they had done it.
It's not really even radical, after all they apply patches to software all the time. Don't really see how it would be beyond their scope, after all they could just claim to update the browser to the latest version just like they do with a lot of other updates.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @02:42PM (1 child)
I'm sorry, are you saying that Microsoft should be doing *more* sneaky things without the user's knowledge? No thank you
(Score: 2) by looorg on Wednesday October 28 2020, @04:10PM
While I would normally be against it this might actually be an exception. That said it was not like I wanted it but more that it would be something to be inline with what Microsoft tends to do or already does so in that regard they might as well do it for something useful instead of what they normally do. Just update and sneak shit in for whatever reasons.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday October 28 2020, @12:38PM (2 children)
Eventually we're gonna need one browser per website.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 28 2020, @03:00PM
needed that since doubleclick.net
(Score: 3, Interesting) by jb on Thursday October 29 2020, @03:10AM
Good. That should make it nice and easy to decide to dump this ridiculous "everything has to be on the web" mantra, so we can go back to writing software that actually works.