R.I.P. Internet Explorer: The Rise and Fall of a Browsing Empire

[Onkel Neal]

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articl...f-an-empi.html

Man, how the mighty have fallen.

All good things come to an end. And even though it’s been a while since Internet Explorer could be called a good thing, it’s worth looking back at the highs and lows of browser’s history.

In case you haven’t heard, Microsoft is indeed veering away from the Internet Explorer browser in its new forthcoming operating system Windows 10 in favor of a renamed and reimagined browser that is hoped to shake off the stigma that the browser has carried for a long time.


For 20 years, Internet Explorer has existed and at one time reigned supreme for internet users, accounting for a sizeable chunk of browser market share in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, so what how did it go from hero to zero?

[Sailor Steve]

Article is a year-and-a-half old. So old, in fact, that they didn't even know what the new browser would be called yet. Win10 has been out for a long time now, and Microsoft Edge with it. I've since gone back to 8.1 and IE, which seems to still work fine.

[Gray Lensman]

Prob with using 8.1 is that even though it is relatively simple and for the most part bug free, there are a lot of new websites that "gag" on it because it doesn't support all their new features. That's why I can't go with it either.

edit> At the moment I'm using 11.0, but I've run into issues lately where the webpage(s) on some site want to prematurely close the page when I have clicked on an internal link within their front page to go somewhere else on their site. I get some sort of pop-up about closing the browser and can not X out of it without the browser indeed closing. I am presuming that is a problem mostly within the browser itself and not the webpage though I could be wrong. For instance this happens to me quite frequently on accuweather.com when I switch to my local area and then click on "hourly"... bang I'm out and have to reload the page and try again.

So I'm kind of looking around for a suitable replacement non Microsoft browser since they seem to be behind the curve instead of ahead of it like they used to be

[Skybird]

Guys, use Firefox, seal it up, control autoscripts, and then
Ghostery, NoScript and Better_Privacy as addons.

When stuff comes from Microsoft, they lie about it if there is a chance you might not like what they say, and completely profile you, you cannot switch it off. When it comes from Google, you get sold, profiled, and again you cannot switch it off. I know the nice buttons they have added there . They are not as functional as you believe. Dummy-switches, so to speak.

Also avoid products from Adobe.

Those using older versions of Windows: SWITCH OFF Windows upgrades. From next month, you are no longe i n control of updates on lower Windows versions as well,, they have reversely put so much W10 tech into W7 now, that it does the same mean tricks and bad stuff than W10 itself - you get cumulative updates now, enforced and without chance to refuse them or to choose between them. That means you must swallow all the broken updates harming your mahcine as well. And you ust wait until the next cimultive update for hotfixes. And you cannot refuse more spyware beign installed on your system under intentionally misleading claims and descriptions. Oh, and most patch descriptions will no longer be given anyway.

The mighty have not "fallen", Neal, and they were not brought down by somebody else. Microsoft ruined its market for browsers and OS all by itself. They ignored Firefox for too long and did not react with according security and privacy features, and they intentionally designed W8 and W10 to be what they are. The fall is all home-made.

And always remember that Microsoft must operate under US laws. You can take it for granted that data colelcted form you NEVER will be deleted, and will find its way to government offices if they ever decide to turn against you in some matter they deem to be justifying it. Woody and me agreed on that most likely the NSA secret society has demanded Microsoft to build all these enforced backdoors and data gathering features into it. Mind you also it is official NSA policy to enforce that it can access any existing computer system, private business and government alike, whenever it wants, whereever it wants. The secret courts there are can enforce compliance of MS and other such companies. They can also enforce that silence is kept over it.

If you want to defend your privacy, do not accept software options by American companies, but find non-American and open source alternatives. Avoid what falls under US law's jurisdiction.

[Gray Lensman]

Originally Posted by Skybird

<snip>

The mighty have not "fallen", Neal, and they were not brought down by somebody else. Microsoft ruined its market for browsers and OS all by itself. They ignored Firefox for too long and did not react with according security and privacy features, and they intentionally designed W8 and W10 to be what they are. The fall is all home-made.

I can totally agree with this statement. I remember when they deliberately ruined the chances for Netscape by making their brower "free" in their Windows installation package.

LOL, The payback was really funny when Oracle (which absorbed Netscape if I'm not mistaken) released and supported the free public domain "Open Office" suite of products supplanting Microsoft's second most profitable line of "Office" products. I still use Open Office to this day.

edit> I think I'll take a look at Firefox... Thanks for the tip

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Gray Lensman

I can totally agree with this statement. I remember when they deliberately ruined the chances for Netscape by making their brower "free" in their Windows installation package.

LOL, The payback was really funny when Oracle (which absorbed Netscape if I'm not mistaken) released and supported the free public domain "Open Office" suite of products supplanting Microsoft's second most profitable line of "Office" products. I still use Open Office to this day.

Libre Office also is a good alternative. I use it myself now. I find it easier in it to find a function that I want.

[Gray Lensman]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Guys, use Firefox, seal it up, control autoscripts, and then Ghostery, NoScript and Better_Privacy as addons.

<snip>

Okay, that was "easy" to paraphrase Staples, LOL

Using FireFox now...

How do you go about setting the other items mentioned above?

If no one objects please explain it here for maybe their benefit, otherwise a PM will do for me.

Thanks in advance.

[Onkel Neal]

He should explain that in a PM

[Onkel Neal]

Open again, my mistake.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Article is a year-and-a-half old. So old, in fact, that they didn't even know what the new browser would be called yet. Win10 has been out for a long time now, and Microsoft Edge with it. I've since gone back to 8.1 and IE, which seems to still work fine.

Yes, IE is even deader today.