It could be the end of the line for Internet Explorer. Microsoft’s head of marketing said the company is developing a new name to brand the new browser for Windows 10. Right now it’s called Spartan (a reference to the popular Halo video game and also to the fact that it is spartan (in the sense that is simple and clean, without frills) compared to Internet explorer.
Internet Explorer will still be available, but it seems clear that the company sees their new browser as the future. Despite being the most popular browser (used by 57% of those going online with its closest competitor Google Chrome coming in around 25%), Internet Explorer tends to catch a lot of grief. It was once regarded as the least secure browser, but the end of XP and Internet Explorer 8 changed that. IE does still have a reputation for being sluggish.
Microsoft promises that Spartan will be a “more interoperable, reliable, and discoverable experience with advanced features including the ability to annotate on web pages, a distraction-free reading experience, and integration of Cortana for finding and doing things online faster.”
~ Cynthia
To me it’s just another beginning for more updates.. You know the guys always work two weeks behind so when it comes out there will be the same old glitch fixers.. Just hope they don’t eliminate sites that others can’t access correctly (like webstarts). I don’t particularly like chrome as I use Firefox but it can’t access some sites very well so my choices are IE or chrome and chrome has just too many ads that doesn’t deal with popups so IE is my go to but only for those sites that firefox can’t pick up well. I’ll try the new one but the MSN home page I have now sucks (they eliminated the survey option which was my favorite and replaced it with too much junk to read) anyway, thanks for the heads-up.
At least 35% or more of the Surfing Public is over 60. Microsoft is trying to force the public into a system that may be easier for them, but will create HAVVOC on the older generation thst really depend on the WEB for support. YEAH, JUST LIKE THE GOVERNMENY…IF WE CAN’T SUPPORT THEM, WE’LL JUST ‘KILL THEM OFF’. IT’S CALLED “ATTRITTION”! !!PROBLEM SOLVED!!
Won’t miss it,cus I don’t use it,chrome is much better.
I have never really used IE in any of its iterations since it has always been so vulnerable. I started off with Netscape, went to Mozilla Firefox and now am using Google Chrome. Chrome has always proved to be completely satisfactory to me and I will continue using it, even after Microsoft’s next product, Spartan, makes it’s debut.
I am one of that 35% that Rich refers to and I say “Good Riddance” to Internet Explorer – the only place I use it is at work and there we now also have the choice of Firefow for any use that is not specific to work developed applicagtions which unfortunately are all designed to work under IE
There is nothing wrong with new and better, but at the same time, do not kill off the IE. There should be room for both and keep 100% of public happy.
The problem with “spartan” browsers is they make it so much more difficult to do the simple things. Everything gets hidden away and is difficult to find.
Its demise will be well overdue. can I help burn it?
I am one of the 35% that Rich refers to and I do not want the change. I have windows 8 on my computer and I don’t like that. I still have problems figuring everything out, I don’t need another thing to have to change. I preferred Windows XP, why can’t you leave us older ones with things we know?
What do you mean, moderation?
Sandy, I’m unsure what the question means.
I will be glad to see it gone! I don’t use it very often, mainly because it doesn’t work as well as Chrome or Firefox. Chrome works the way IE has always claimed to work but didn’t. It seems that almost every time I do use it I get the “Internet Explorer Has Stopped Working” message. I hope the replacement will be more reliable and faster.
Not only should they leave IE alone, they should have left XP alone too! When some of us oldies finally get some things figured out, some techies think we need a change. You see where all of our government’s changes have gotten us…………boooooooooo
I use GC most of the time.I also use FF and IE,so dropping IE doesn’t matter to me
one way or the other.By the way I’m also one of the 35%.
Although change and improvement is good, for those of us still using I.E., I would hope Microsoft would leave it alone and still support those who use it.
Leave it alone.
It is time to retire IE..
There is a whole generation of seniors that are able to communicate with family that will have a hard time moving to something new.
I also am one of that 35% that Rich refers to & I switched first to Firefox Web Browser back in early 2000!
I used Firefox for a few years but now my primary web browser is Google chrome.
I am looking forward to Seeing & using internet explorer 10’s Web browser named SPARTAN‼️
It’s About Time The Folks At Microsoft Saw What The Future L
Look, doesn’t MS realize that chasing the “future” shouldn’t leave the “60+” crowd wondering if they forgot who got them there in the first place? Win8 was a bust, Outlook is drab, and now time for the “most used” browser to change (I’d bet drastically) and suffer the embarrassment of another Win8.1, Oh ,we didn’t realize you would use it on a desktop without a touch screen moment. Geeezz,,,.
I’m done with MS. Just lead me to a Linux class.
I haven’t used IE as a primary browser for a good long time. It is slow, crashes way too often, and is generally not reliable. I have used Firefox primarily for the past few years, although I do have Chrome and Opera available. IE is installed, but rarely used.
I know this will probably receive a lot of flack from IE users, but, quite frankly, I’m glad to see it go. I never use it because it’s more trouble than it’s worth. I hope Spartan will be all that they say it will be, but if not, I’ll use the browsers I’m currently using. BTW, I’m 66, and although I preferred XP, I’m growing used to Windows 7 and am even considering the change to Windows 10. Not all of us “seniors” need simple, not all of us refuse to change. 🙂
I love IE, always have and never had any issues with it. The problewm is too many dont read the descriptions and back trace the links before clicking on stuff.
Google Chrome is garbage and virus central. Every computer I have ever worked on that contained viruses and malware had Chrome installed.
IE has gotten way better in the last couple of years with 10 and 11. Yes there are minor issues with 10 and 11, like the compatibility issue. But thats an easy fix.
Leave IE running, just keeping doing what your doing Micorsoft, make it better. Take the beast of all the browsers like Firefox, Maxthon, Safari and IE (Purposelly left out Chrome) and make IE the powerhouse.
IE has be the best and have used it from the begining. At this time it does not do as well as it had been. I am on Google Chrome for the last month because it was not working well enough to play my games on Facebook. If Spartan is going to be reve up IE with a different name that is fine by me. I hate Google Chrome. I will be very happy to be using something faster and user friendly again. Bring it on. I am ready for Windows 10 also.
I agree with the seniors who do not want to give up IE, It is hard enough for us to operate computers without having to always learn new systems.
I have used IE for a number of years now and feel comfortable working in IE and tracking certain areas that I work in for tracking my financial interests as one area. As a professor, I personally use IE to support myself and my students in acquiring information and sources of data.
If they are developing “SPARTAN” for Windows 10 make it easy to transfer IE current files to “SPARTAN” and make computing life that much easier.
I can’t even get Internet Explorer to work on my computer anymore. I have a Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit-Edition. It tries to load up, but fails. I have a broadband connection through my local cable company and I use AOL to gain access to the internet. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance
I suggest keeping both systems for those that like and use Internet Explorer. If the new generation wants something new and “spartan”, then that gives 100% of the customers a choice. We CUSTOMERS can use our fingers to go elsewhere.
I agree with you, Steve. Let me keep IE and let the young people who want bigger, better and shinier have SPARTAN. I’m happy with it the way it is.
I agree Internet Explorer is sluggish-and then some! I don’t like Google much either, and IE seems to be the lesser of two evils. So maybe Spartan will be a good thing. Let’s hope.
Well, I use Firefox and nothing else.. Use to use IE back in the day, and found it the most annoying browser of all time. Never felt safe on IE, too many crashes, and way too many safety/security downloads. I really hated it. I will continue with Firefox until it no longer makes all my info safe and I feel threatened by security flaws. But, I don’t see that happening any time soon. So, don’t really care what happens to IE.. Firefox is the only one for me..
Wow,What strange news! My IE Died yesterday after 9yrs of me using it.No matter what I tried I could not fix it,So I contacted my Internet Provider and their Tect. came out and she could not get it working. So I now have Firefox &Google Chrome as my back up.Hopefully Microsoft will get IE Fixed and when they do I would surely go back to it and give it a try,And compare it to what I have now.
What operating system are you using? Have you updated to Internet Explorer 11?
Leave well enough alone!
Leave well enough alone!!
I like explorer when it works. But there are a few sites that don,t work properly for me. ( I have the latest IE) and still can’t access my email, or get my bank sites to bring up their calendars. My Google and Firefox do though. But ,I still go to my IE for most things. It could just be I am not one for changes, I don’t know.
Worked in professionally Microsoft for many, many years. In Wordperfect and Lotus 123 prior to that. I now work in Linux and find it to be much more flexible and safer program than any Microsoft has. There are programs such as WINE that can adapt your Windows programs to Linux. It is really worth looking into.
Never used IE much really so don’t care if it is gone. Of the few times I have it was slow to load and I couldn’t find how to do anything. I use AOL mail and being an old timer I like to indent each paragraph. I never found the indent feature on IE. And the general format was confusing to me so I didn’t use it. Tried Google just for kicks but didn’t care for it either, too close to IE it seemed to me.
I used to use Ie but hated it. I now use chrome and like it much better. I read one of the comments that said he always had viruses on computers with chrome, I have never had a virus with chrome. I just think you have to be careful where you go and what you click on. And have a good anti-virus.
Leave IE as it is but some improvements can and should be made but let the people choose what they want. Do not force people to take what they don’t want. Give people a choice.
I have had problems continually with IE over many years. Of recent past, I could not even launch it. Many of product providers in my line of business, have built their systems around IE which made life very difficult for me. Microsoft should realise they have a responsibility of providing a stable product, since it is used as more than a browser. I definitely welcome the news. Having said that hope the replacement browser is stable and free of problems
I just hope Spartan has the same functions such as file, edit, view favorites, etc. I like this and the others don’t have it at the top.
It would please me to no end if Microsoft would first fix the current bugs in IE10 & 11. Internet Explorer has been my preferred browser since its introduction, and when it started to bug out on me, I resorted to trying all the other popular ones, i.e., Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and most recently Cyberfox, and none of them really work as efficiently for me as IE when it’s running right. So I have now resigned myself to switching between Firefox and IE-11 depending on what kind of tasks I want to complete. I think Microsoft buggered Internet Explorer with its attempts to make it a more secure browser. Now they want to scrap it and introduce something new which new users would have to get familiar with? Ha, no brain strain there, right? That gives me the impression that IE has gotten somewhat FUBAR, so Spartan will be a “fresh start” with what we are led to believe will be a “better” browser. H’mmm. Microsoft is still the top dog for me as a DIY tech and it would be exceptionally gratifying if they would just fix what is already working in addition to any other advancements they want to make. Best wishes for continued success.
Get rid of it! I haven’t liked IE since I first started using computers. Always get error messages and have to shut down. Very annoying.
Its about time I*E has been one of the easiest hacked Browsers out there.Also one of the worst for Pop up error messages. If it were possible to comple3tely remove it from my comuter I would have done so!!
i have not been able to open internet explorer for at least 4 weeks
every time i tried to open it it said internet explorer has stopped working something caused it to close said it was working on a solution but i did not get one
As a senior, if this next iteration will fix problems with IE, especially hacking, then the changes could be good. It would help if MS let us in on the upcoming changes and what will be impacted – thank you WorldStart – before its release so we know what to expect. MS seems to delete good things on their apps and IE, then request payment to get them back.
I have been using IE for a long time, and have noticed it has become slower (sometimes), and glitchy (I sometimes have to read emails by clicking on “open in new window”, very annoying even though curable by re-starting). Give me a good tip for transferring my IE “favorites”, history, archived emails, and contacts to either Firefox (which I like) or Google Chrome (which I haven’t used). Thanks…..
I would hate to loose IE, it has always been my favorite. I’m a senior and I’m sure it’s what we first used when learning. I hate Chrome, they keep pushing it and I keep taking it off my computer. I can’t find anything I want, can’t get the favorites to work right.
New? Faster? Better? All catch phrases to make you think it’s a better product, where in fact unless you are an oscilloscope, a person can not really tell if a browser is faster than before. Who really is that impatient that you need to find web pages one nano second faster. I prefer a clean, uncluttered desk top browser, with Firefox and Google (not chrome either!!) as my door to the world wide web.
I prefer Google but if “Spartan” is better than the current IE then I would more than likely use it.
If “Spartan” is better than the current IE then I would more than likely use it.
change something else we have to learn and figure out I hope it will change with the system
I still use internet explorer and I like it even though it has a few slugish problems. I just hope that (Spartan or what ever it’s called) Doesn’t work anything like Chrome. I hate Chrome, it’s fast but stupid and nothing works right as far as I’m conserned. I wish they could just give internet Explorer a good tuneup and keep it the same name after all most people are used to it. One thing I hate about Microsoft is everytime they screw with someting it’s only better 30% of the time.