Moving away from Internet Explorer

By February 18, 2019February 21st, 2019Security
Is Internet Explorer a modern web browser?

Is Internet Explorer a “modern web browser”? Is it a web browser at all? Should you be using it?

Due to a recent blog post from Microsoft on “the perils of using Internet Explorer as your default browser”, these puzzling questions have been getting a lot of attention.

The gist is this: Microsoft is now on record as saying that Internet Explorer – Microsoft’s long-time web browser – is in fact not really a browser anymore. They don’t want you to use it like one. Microsoft’s Chris Jackson refers to it as a “compatibility solution”, implying that it is legacy software destined to be replaced by new apps.

Internet Explorer Isn’t a Modern Solution

Should you use Internet Explorer as your default web browser? OXEN’s stance is also no. It is true that IE is not a “modern web browser” – which means it does not fully support web standards and isn’t being actively developed to do so. Websites are less likely to be built, tested, and perform well in Internet Explorer.

At OXEN, we heavily recommend that businesses and organizations move away from relying solely on Internet Explorer. The reasons include security risks, poor compatibility, slow performance, and missing functionality.

The Better Web Browser Choice

Microsoft may eventually release a modern, Chromium-based browser, but at the moment they lack an offering in this area. So what should you use to browse the web, rather than IE?

If you’re on Windows 10, using Edge is better than IE, though not optimal. Edge isn’t available on other versions of Windows, and its future is uncertain. Microsoft has announced it will stop developing Edge and instead turn to developing a Chromium-based alternative. While standards compliant, Edge has known issues with security flaws and displaying some websites and features incorrectly.

Modern browsers like Chrome and Firefox are the best options available right now. They are both robust, highly extensible, and standards compliant, to give you better security, immediate and hassle-free updates, and a smooth web experience.

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