According to Microsoft, it is unwise to use Internet Explorer any longer, but why?
In a blog post on Microsoft's Tech Community, employee Chris Jackson explains why using Internet Explorer as the default browser isn't a good idea, initially targeting businesses, but ultimately the problem affects all users of the browser.
Jackson points to the "technical debt" that companies are taking on by still using Internet Explorer. This occurs when the technical condition of the software that companies use is not properly looked at. By choosing Internet Explorer as a browser, according to Jackson, a solution is chosen that is (or seems to be) beneficial in the short term, but at the same time will cause problems (and therefore additional costs) in the longer term.
Jackson rather calls IE a 'compatibility solution' for specific websites within the company network instead of a full browser. And that's how Microsoft has treated its browser for years, since the launch of Windows 10. Yet many (business) users still seem to use IE on a daily basis and that will cause problems in the long term. But the consequences are already noticeable: many modern websites simply don't display optimally in Microsoft's browser, because the majority of website builders simply ignore IE.
Remarkably, Jackson doesn't go into Edge, probably because this browser didn't become the smashing successor to Internet Explorer either. Edge has been plagued from the start with a series of serious bugs that sometimes even lead to an unstable system. The browser was quickly ignored by the vast majority of Windows 10 users.
New browser
Microsoft is now working on a new Edge browser that will run on Chromium: the open source core, which also serves as the basis for Google's Chrome browser, among others. This makes modern websites more accessible, but critics do point to Google's increasingly dominant position on the web.
Many Internet users have been advising not to use Internet Explorer for years, but this message from Microsoft shows that the company is finally ready to pull the plug. So prepare for the end of an era… And finally start using a good browser, says Jackson.
