back to article ANN-IE-LATION: Microsoft to axe support for older Internet Explorer next week

In less than one week, Microsoft will end support for several versions of its Internet Explorer web browser. The Redmond giant is nearing the January 12 rollout date for a new policy on browser support. The new rules, unveiled last year, mean that many older versions of IE will no longer be supported on Windows machines. …

  1. Chairo

    for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

    one reason would be that it is the only supported version for which no Windows 10 nagware is force-installed. No need for playing whack a mole all the time. Much easier to maintain for the elderly parents living far far away.

    Just because you seemed to wonder...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

      Yes, but the lack of security updates coming later this year will be a problem going forward if they're to continue using a traditional personal computer.

      Your options are limited:

      → Update the machine to Windows 7, and have the same problem in a few years.

      → Update the machine to Windows 8 or 8.1, have the same problem in a few more years, and have to re-train them on the new interface.

      → Update the machine to Windows 10, have to re-train them on the new interface.

      → Replace OS with Linux or *BSD, have to re-train them on the different interface/software.

      → Replace the machine with an Apple Mac, have to re-train them on the different interface/software.

      1. Chairo

        Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

        @ Stuart Longland

        Yes, but the lack of security updates coming later this year will be a problem going forward if they're to continue using a traditional personal computer.

        Vista will be supported until next year April. Plenty of time to think about a replacement strategy. My current favourite would be to switch to some Linux flavour with a more traditional user interface. That would have the added advantage that I can pre-configure everything at home and just swap the hard drive when I visit them next time. No headache regarding drivers, performance and application availability. and also no need to re-train them to a radically different user interface. All they use at the moment is SeaMonkey for browsing and email, OpenOffice and Acrobat reader to open bills and other stuff coming per mail and Skype to have a video chat with the Children and Grandchildren from time to time.

        1. Nigey

          Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

          May I recommend Xubuntu? My 80 year old aunt had no problem moving over from XP 2 years ago, I altered the theme to look very similar, set up Claws Mail to look and behave like the mail client she was used to and she uses it daily, she hasn't had to trouble me since.

          1. Paul Crawford Silver badge
            Thumb Up

            Re: @Nigey

            Works for my old man, has Ubuntu+Gnome for the main desktop (thus email & web access) and a Windows XP VM to run some old & flaky genealogy program that is main computer use-case these days.

            I get about 1-2 calls per year to support it, which is a damn sight less than I used to get from certain others running Windows...

          2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

            Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

            May I recommend Xubuntu?

            YMMV but I don't think that will work for most people. I haven't come across a single desktop Linux distro that hasn't fucked up.something major at some point.

            If people only need e-mail and a browser then a tablet is probably the best thing to get them and bin the PC. A girlfriend of mine is now providing technical support on that to her own mother. But I still get to fix all the PC problems! ;-)

            1. MT Field
              Thumb Up

              Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

              xubuntu runs with alarming smoothness and lack of need for anything other than regular automated updatings of itself. With proper user accounts plus guest sessions everyone including your elderly relatives can be safe and secure. Give it plenty of RAM and an SSD and it properly races along too.

      2. Halfmad

        Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

        Sorry but I dont' see Windows 10 as requiring retraining, you can make it look like Windows 7 pretty damn easily and without any third party stuff. At most you'll need a one page showing the different ways to shutdown the PC.

        It's less of a problem than when moving from some versions of office, such as 97 to 2007 etc. That really messed with admin staffs head. Ribbon? Ribbon can fuck off was their motto.

        The bashing on Windows 10 is getting juvenile, the focus should be on the privacy/cloud aspect not the interface - which frankly is not absolutely fine.

        I realise I'll be downvoted, feel free, I'm no fanboy - I use Linux at home but the Windows bashing is simply bandwagon jumping these days.

        1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

          Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

          "Sorry but I dont' see Windows 10 as requiring retraining,"

          Apart from having to switch off all the data slurping and then likely having to go through and check for settings reversion after each patch update cycle. For the use case described, pretty much any OS that is up to date with security patches will do the job so why not choose the one with the least likelihood of regular remote support issues?

      3. Halfmad

        Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

        That's a LOT of options available. If people can't cope with this then they are in the wrong industry.

        1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

          Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

          "If people can't cope with this then they are in the wrong industry."

          The reasons why businesses are stuck on old versions have been gone over here many times. However, here's a clue.

          Imagine you're supporting a system which is business critical. It depends on a piece of software which won't run on versions of Windows later than XP. It controls a machine which has a life expectancy of about 15 more years. The S/W vendor has gone out of business and there was no code escrow.

          If you can't see the problems you face you're in the wrong industry.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

            "system which is business critical. It depends on a piece of software which won't run on versions of Windows later than XP. It controls a machine which has a life expectancy of about 15 more years"

            We have Win98 VMs in use for that reason - and the life expectancy in question is another 20 years.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

              And the piece of equipment in question cost $AUD 800K+

              And "business critical" means that it is the business.

              1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

                Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

                "And the piece of equipment in question cost $AUD 800K+"

                Yes, I should have put a price on the hypothetical piece of kit. Presumably there are people thinking you should just write off substantial chunks of capital equipment just because Microsoft EoLs an OS.

      4. CAPS LOCK

        Largely correct, but...

        ... my elderly relatives have found that a change to Linux Mint XFCE to go almost unnoticed. Those that noticed said 'Oh isn't it easy'. The usual caveats apply...

    2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: for whatever reason are still running Windows Vista...

      one reason would be that it is the only supported version for which no Windows 10 nagware is force-installed.

      Pretty poor reason considering all the rest of the nastiness in Vista.

      However, I still don't understand why MS hasn't done the work to release IE 11 for Windows. Having IE 9 around for only one OS (let's ignore the servers at the moment) suits no one.

  2. a_yank_lurker

    Danger

    "only slightly less dangerous than playing tag in a minefield' - This might be understatement, using IE is playing tag in a minefield.

  3. Mark 85

    Nice thoughts from them.. NOT.

    But will they ever fix the bugs in IE11? or just patch security? I guess it's time to move to Chrome... it was nice knowing you IE.. er... maybe somewhat nice... I still smell the scent of Mint with a dash of Wine in my future.

    1. veti Silver badge

      Re: Nice thoughts from them.. NOT.

      IE11 is a pretty solid browser. Apart from the compulsory Flash support, at least (which can be disabled, if you try hard enough). I'd prefer it to Chrome.

      Disclaimer: I haven't tried Edge.

      1. Medixstiff

        Re: Nice thoughts from them.. NOT.

        IE11 is a pretty solid browser. Apart from the compulsory Flash support, at least (which can be disabled, if you try hard enough). I'd prefer it to Chrome.

        I'd like M$ to go the way of Google and do their own Flash updating in IE, it would mean one less application to manage updates for in SCCM & M$ although not perfect, would probably do a better job of it that Adobe.

    2. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: Nice thoughts from them.. NOT.

      IE 11 gets regular bug fixes. Not my favourite browser but everything > 9 is generally okay, if you discount the vestigial ActiveX support that so many enterprises still need.

    3. Mark 85

      Re: Nice thoughts from them.. NOT.

      While it may be getting bug fixes there's one that's been pretty pesky and MS claims the browser is not the problem. Copy/Paste fails in many forums. I've pushed IE11 to the curb and sorting out whether FIrefox or Chrome will be my browser of choice.

  4. Winkypop Silver badge
    Meh

    I felt a great disturbance in the Farce

    ....as if millions of PC support-people for relatives and friends suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

  5. caffeine addict

    No more IE8 support?

    I'd cheer - if I didn't still have clients demanding IE6 support.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I know the feeling.

      It always annoys me when a customer says "This is fine on IE11 but our IE8 machines don't work."

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Cool

    Now we just need to get rid of IE 12, 13 and 14

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    simplifies things for me

    I have a couple of pcs still on IE10 in office because a suppliers website doesn't play nicely on ie11. (or so I'm told)

    Perhaps I should use the announcement to bounce them into giving a damn about our situation.

  8. Nick Davey

    It makes me cringe

    That my wife's work supplied laptop is Windows XP and IE8..... considering she is a teacher with therefore the data and assessments on her class on there..... I've had my own work machine replaced 3 times since she's had that one.

  9. Quortney Fortensplibe
    Thumb Up

    Good Riddance!

    'nuff said.

  10. Titus Aduxass
    Unhappy

    IE11? Luxury!

    We're only just(!) completing the roll-out of IE9 & Win7 here. Very little prospect of upgrading to a more modern browser anytime soon :-(

    On the plus side at least I no longer have to support IE6 :-)

  11. Refugee from Windows

    Finish the job properly

    Please make available an "Internet Explorer" removal tool for those that have opted out of using it as a browser, it's like having a ticking time bomb in your machine.

  12. david 12 Silver badge

    MS, like many other companies, already doesn't support IE8, in the sense that great swathes of the Microsoft.com website are unavailable to IE8.

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