What is Digg?214 Comments
- riverrunner, on 04/14/2009, -2/+129I'll take anything to get IE6 to die.
- toastgodsupreme, on 04/14/2009, -18/+140There's a reason we're hesitant... we're happy with Firefox.
- jimic79, on 04/14/2009, -4/+86The key thing here that no one understands is that IE 8 is ACTUALLY BETTER (than IE7, that is...). I use firefox all the time, posting from it right now, but i did install IE8 to test it and it is a metric *****-ton faster. There's no reason you shouldn't update to IE8 for the 3 times you use it a year.
- JoshReedSchramm, on 04/14/2009, -1/+71Listen im all for using FF but seriously as a web developer who still supports IE6. Please dear god make it a mandatory upgrade. And while your at it please go back and force it on win2k users+
- kyle212, on 04/14/2009, -16/+81Can all the flamers remember that firefox pretty much does the same thing when it wants to update
- MacHarborGuy, on 04/14/2009, -3/+48the more people pulled away from IE6 the better. we need that browser to finally die so the internet can get a little less hacked together
- lithera, on 04/14/2009, -5/+46For version updates you get a pretty damn anoying pop-up window in your face. Which pretty much orders you to download the new version.
Of course you can ignore that and turn the notification off. Just like you can ignore and hide every single windows update ms presents to you. - mHtt, on 04/14/2009, -2/+40HAHAHA as if Windows can force me to restart... oh wait...
- ShuttleXpC, on 04/14/2009, -3/+37Even if you are hesitant, having IE6 installed even without using it is a security risk. Update it or uninstall it at the very least.
- alainmeyer1, on 04/14/2009, -10/+41Pathetic move?
They're trying to get people to change to something better than what they previously had. If they're stubborn enough [or not tech savvy enough] to change browsers, at least they can cause less of a headache for developers. If every IE6/7 user changed over to IE8, I'd be ecstatic.
That's assuming non tech savvy people know how to update. But no, it's not a pathetic move. - KnightMareInc, on 04/14/2009, -7/+36most windows users dont even know there is an IE8. Saying they have to force people to get it is very misleading and lame.
- LJU1492, on 04/14/2009, -10/+32and Chrome
- ridd1e, on 04/14/2009, -3/+25I would thank Microsoft in the name of web development folks, but it would be like thanking a burglar for closing the door while leaving with my TV set.
- DivisibleByZero, on 04/14/2009, -12/+33As a web developer, I wish I could say this was a good thing. We've longed for the death of IE6 for so many years.
But the sad truth is IE8 is a giant ball of crap too. "Standards mode" my ass. - IFEice, on 04/14/2009, -3/+23I'm sorry, but do people have a problem with a company wanting to update its own software?
- Auzy, on 04/14/2009, -9/+29You do realise many programs embed the IE engine internally right? So why would you not upgrade? Better security and such.
Secondly IE8 is finally standards compliant. Microsoft simply wanted to ensure all their customers have a standards compliant browser that doesn't need hacks to work anymore (its a big change). Its not them getting desperate, its finally answering the requirements of web developers who thus far have needed to hack around IE for mostly everything. After this, they can pretty much choose to target IE8 exclusively.
Finally, the hell wouldn't you want to upgrade programs you have installed anyway?
According to you though, Ubuntu and Apple are also desperate everytime they recommend upgrading browser too.
Its good that they are auto enabling the update. Because otherwise as normal, people will keep delaying the updates and never install them (even happens on OSX). When I worked at the Apple Premium reseller, most OSX users did NOT have the updates installed, despite being offered them many times (in fact, it was rare to find someone who was fully updated). If microsoft didn't make this automatic, then 2 years later, there would be too many IE6/IE7 users around to completely disregard them.
I think Microsoft has made an EXCELLENT decision here, and it seems that people like you are trying to turn it into a catch 22, so that they can't win either way. - Auzy, on 04/14/2009, -8/+27I fail to see what itunes and safari have to do with upgrading an already installed browser. Apple did that to slip safari onto peoples computers. IE is already on peoples computers. Or are you saying that Ubuntu shouldn't upgrade people from Firefox 2.x to firefox 3.x? Everyone who will get this auto-update already has IE installed. You must also remember that there are a lot of applications that embed the IE engine inside to do stuff, and that IE8 is more secure, so will lead to a more secure OS overall.
And think of all the poor web developers. Part of the reason Microsoft is probably also doing this is to ensure that mostly everyone has a standards compliant browser, which IE8 finally is (apparently). So this makes it a lot easier to start ignoring IE6. Also, developers are finally purposely blocking IE5/IE6 from accessing their websites, so Microsoft don't want people whinging who do use IE and don't know why their sites don't work.
Finally, whilst I personally prefer firefox (because of the extensions), IE8 isn't actually that bad, and I think that auto-updating to IE8 will let web developers finally give up on ancient IE hacks completely. Every web developer out there would be VERY happy about this news. It means they can finally focus on the design of websites, rather then compatibility testing :D - iopasd, on 04/14/2009, -0/+18Just go ahead and try to uninstall IE....
- bradleyland, on 04/14/2009, -4/+22Just because you're happy with Firefox doesn't mean you shouldn't update IE. IE is your system's embedded web browser. Even if you don't use it to browse the web, its components are integrated in to your OS. You should keep it up to date, even if you never click the big blue E.
- inactive, on 04/14/2009, -1/+18I just wish ass-hats would quit creating .net apps using components that require IE. We're still on a version of the Trend Micro management console that won't run in any other browser. That's entirely lame for a company their size and I will not renew the licenses unless that garbage can programming's been fixed.
- Schmich, on 04/14/2009, -3/+20Getting rid of IE6 & 7 is better for everyone anyways.
- svivian, on 04/14/2009, -1/+15Every step is one step closer towards web developers being able to do some awesome stuff with CSS/Javascript without spending weeks working around bugs in IE.
And IE8 is actually decent. Don't forget that Firefox only passed the acid2 test from version 3, 6 months ago. And neither pass acid3. - cnldelta, on 04/14/2009, -0/+13Chrome is made by google who make their money from ads. Ad blocking doesn't semm likely to happen.
- FearlessFreep, on 04/14/2009, -13/+26For small updates, yes, not whole version updates
- Baryn, on 04/14/2009, -1/+14@ ^
Firefox IS the modern browser. It may not be as fast as Webkit, but it's damn close, and 3.5 will be even better.
Add-ons are useful no matter what walk of life you are on, and have created an international community of browser innovation. - Manther, on 04/14/2009, -1/+13Dugg for "metric *****-ton."
- psjohnso, on 04/14/2009, -1/+12A godsend for us web developers. btw I'm a FF user.
- svivian, on 04/14/2009, -0/+11I'm sure a lot of people have installed IE8. These will be web developers who know how bad IE is and use Firefox et al instead.
That's why the "usage share" figure is so low. The people who will actually use IE8 on a day-to-day basis are not the ones who will actively seek out updates. They'll just install it when MS tells them they should.
If I wasn't a web developer, and didn't use Digg, I don't think I'd even be aware there was a new IE out. - MacHarborGuy, on 04/14/2009, -4/+14you don't have to use it ever, but if your computer has IE6 still installed on it, guess what, YOU are a problem for the rest of the internet because you have a potential exploit doorway on your computer. installing IE8, for the time being, will help close one of those doorways. remember, just because YOU never launch IE doesn't mean a trojan or virus can't or won't.
why are you a potential problem for the rest of the internet? because your computer could turn into a zombie PC for sending spam and other crap. happens all the time and IF you think you are safe, trust me, you are not. - MacHarborGuy, on 04/14/2009, -4/+13IT'S MY COMPUTER, MY OS, MY MY MY MY MY. THEY CAN"T DO WHAT THEY WANT WITH MY MY MY MY...
that is the type of response you will get.
if MS said they were not going to force the update people would complain about IE6 and IE7 being so bad and that IE8 should be forced because at least it is a step in the right direction. in fact you can probably find comments that mirror that statement all over digg, just search for IE6, IE7 or IE8 :) - nyxerebos, on 04/14/2009, -2/+11Because when they control the dominant browser it gives them the power to sell things like WMV and Silverlight to publishers.
- DontUKnowImLoco, on 04/14/2009, -2/+11Umm they couldn't do this auto-update thing when IE7 came out? IE6 is the bane of the professional web developer's existence...it's a shame that it took loss of market share, not technological progression or security concerns to initiate this move....
- GrooTheWanderer, on 04/14/2009, -3/+11Serious question: If IE is something that they give away for free, why do they care if people use it or not? I don't see them rushing to add new features to Notepad to compete with other text editors, so why the big panic when another few percent of Windows users opt for a different browser or just don't want to install the latest version?
- inactive, on 04/14/2009, -3/+11PLEASE GOD YES.
Anything that can hasten the killing off of IE6 is good in my book. I'd personally visit every IE6 user and upgrade them for free if I could. - MacHarborGuy, on 04/14/2009, -0/+8heh, it's like kid who is ill and refuses to take the cough medicine that their parent is trying to give them. Yes it tastes bad, yes it won't work 100% and yes you will hate it, BUT ITS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD YOU FREAKING PLAGUE CARRIER!!!
on, and remember. if it wasn't for Microsoft (and Apple in part), we wouldn't have computers and tech as they are today, and quite possibly none of you little anti-progress kiddies would have been born because your parents would have been unable to hook up online. - wallclimber, on 04/14/2009, -2/+9"Embedded" is the ugly part here. Why oh why is it embedded? If someone doesn't want or use the old IEs, why on Earth should they be forced to install another one?
Now, if MS served a patch to all Windows users that disconnected that embedded browser so folks could get rid of it entirely, THAT might be something worthwhile. - whytey, on 04/14/2009, -3/+10you just cant beat firefox especially with all the plugins and addons we get
- ShannonGB, on 04/14/2009, -0/+6KILL IT WITH FIRE!
- inactive, on 04/14/2009, -0/+6Why not? Microsoft makes windows, Microsoft makes IE, and IE comes with windows. Many updates delivered through windows actually fix a lot of stuff that isn't a windows problem like Office programs. The whole idea that microsoft is using windows to help IE doesnt make any sense because you arent forced to use it. Just use something else.
Anyone would do auto-update move if they had an OS with their own browser. It makes total sense. - redwallhp, on 04/14/2009, -2/+81. It should be a mandatory upgrade. You should have no option but to install it, otherwise your computer will stop booting.
2. Pre-XP versions of Windows should be sunset next year. - secrity, on 04/14/2009, -0/+6If web developers would just stop coding for IE6 and IE7 (and for IE8), and start coding for STANDARDS, there wouldn't be a need for MS to FORCE a browser upgrade. Of course all of the browser makers would have to make sure that their browsers are standards compliant if they want people to use them.
- DavidOchs, on 04/14/2009, -0/+6<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE7" />
Now you can stay in business. - FKnight, on 04/14/2009, -0/+5This is the stupidest page of comments I've ever read on the Internet.
- newbill123, on 04/14/2009, -2/+7I'm normally against auto-updated applications that will cause noticeable (and possibly problematic) changes for users, but I can see only goodness coming out of this update.
Surprise gui changes will encourage users look at browser alternatives in the same way that Vista changes encouraged looking at downgrades and alternatives. The new version may be better, but re-learning the basics wasn't part of the plan.
Those who really don't care about the changes, will have a more compliant browser experience. IE6 will fall in browser stats and will quickly go onto the list of reluctantly supported browser platforms. If dumping IE6 compatibility helps your site support IE8 users sooner, there will be more sites that encourage users to upgrade.
For those companies and public sites which depend on IE6 functionality, keeping everyone away from the auto-update, downgrading new PCs, and dealing with frustrated users means that maintaining the status quo of IE6 won't me nearly as cheap and easy as it has been up to now. It's likely the writing will be on the table to put some money into dropping the IE6 requirement, and while that may mean some move to IE8's idiosyncrasies, it also means many will decide on more standards compliant development. - designerutah, on 04/14/2009, -1/+6Yeah, and having an embedded browser is a GOOD idea? I agree that so long as As IE is part of the OS, user's should keep it up to date. But truthfully, it shouldn't be part of the OS.
- Myztry, on 04/14/2009, -2/+7Convenient backdoor Microsoft has in Windows Update. While all these people are worried about Conficker getting into essential system, Microsoft has the power to push whatever it desires into the majority of the worlds computers.
Let's hope that the Department of Defense and such entities have the ability to override such overwhelming power. Sure, such systems generally use WSUS to control updates. But who controls WSUS?
Let's just hope a hacker never gets control of the Corporate equivelant of the Presidental red button.... - oninbonin, on 04/14/2009, -0/+5It's hilarious because I work with tons of govt people and they are still using win2k.
- Baryn, on 04/14/2009, -1/+6So you are saying Mac users don't have XM Radio? Something smells wrong about this...
- Auzy, on 04/14/2009, -1/+5And even if you aren't using it directly, many programs have it integrated, so it is actually being used in the background.
It can't be uninstalled though, too much relies on its engine (even MSN messenger seems to) - inactive, on 04/14/2009, -1/+5Me either. But prepare for the red thumb in here.
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