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Internet Explorer, the web browser with 95% of usage share, was developed by Microsoft and bundled with the Windows operating system since version 4.0. The browser uses the Trident layout engine to render its content, employing Internet Explorer’s proprietary JScript and VBScript languages. Microsoft initially developed Internet Explorer for Windows 3.0. Beginning with “Windows 95”, IE came bundled with the operating system. IE is installed by default for all users without the need for user intervention. Internet Explorer for Mac, first included with “Mac OS X Public Beta,” is a different product from the one used in Windows.
Overview
Microsoft Internet Explorer is one of the major web browsers with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. As of 2017, it is available on over 3,500 mobile devices and desktop systems, making it the second most popular browser by a wide margin. It is also the market share leader for mobile browsers in many countries, including the United States, where it has been installed on over 95% of all mobile devices since its introduction in 2010.
Licensing
Internet Explorer is considered a low-risk security threat in terms of adware and malware. Internet Explorer has a plethora of third-party add-ons that can be installed, which contain advertisements and unnecessary features.
Security
The browser was designed from the ground up to be as secure as possible, focusing on security features such as sandboxing and two-way authentication for websites, built-in SSL support, and processes that validate parameters of JavaScript functions. Internet Explorer includes a built-in, on-demand updater that can fix vulnerabilities. It also has an internal firewall that allows the user to control which ports open (Firewall Control Panel).
95% of usage share
Internet Explorer reached a 95% usage share in 2004, making it the most used web browser. The overall growth of Internet Explorer’s market share has been caused by its widespread use with Windows, which was the most popular operating system on the desktop for many years. Internet Explorer 4 (released in 1997) made significant gains against competitors from Netscape, particularly during that company’s lengthy legal struggles.
Included in the Microsoft Windows operating system
Internet Explorer is included in the Microsoft Windows operating system, Microsoft edge. Internet Explorer Standard Edition (IE6) is a free download distributed by Microsoft. It’s also a trial version that can be upgraded to Internet Explorer 7 and 8 or used as a standalone application. This version of IE includes several security holes and lacks many common features in the old editions of IE.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is a new web browser developed by Microsoft, which replaced Internet Explorer. The browser uses the EdgeHTML and Chakra rendering engines to power a new generation of features, including the Cortana personal assistant, reading view, and F12 developer tools. It was first released in July 2015 as a preview version alongside Windows 10. Although it initially met with positive reviews, the reception has become increasingly negative due to concerns over data collection. Microsoft Edge is designed to be compatible with the current version of Internet Explorer (version 11).
History
Internet Explorer originated with the MIT X Mosaic web browser, a derivative of the X-Windows application Mosaic, available for various platforms such as Sun Microsystems’ Solaris and Microsoft Windows. In December 1994, Microsoft released Internet Explorer 1.0 for the original Windows platform.
The first version was based on the four customization tool kits from the original Mosaic web browser update. In October 1994, Internet Explorer 1.1 began shipping with Windows for Workgroups 4.0. In November 1995, Internet Explorer 2.0 was released in four editions, each tailored for a specific audience (e.g., home users, professionals) and with a new interface.
Microsoft later abandoned IE3 and IE4 as stable releases (IE5.0 is still available through Windows Update). IE5.5 was released as an out-of-band upgrade in February 2001. However, it also received bug fixes and new features (most notably the Add-ons Panel) until Internet Explorer 6.0 was released in October 2001.
In 2011, Internet Explorer 9 was released. The subsequent version, Internet Explorer 10, was released in early 2013. The latest version at the time of writing is Internet Explorer 11.
Internet Explorer 8, 9, and 10 have a mode where the user can optionally disable the automatic update mechanism.
Internet Explorer 11 is available for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users only. Internet Explorer 12 is available for Windows 10 users only.
Internet Explorer was replaced with a new web browser, Microsoft Edge, on Windows 10.
Conclusion
There are three versions of Internet Explorer, each having a different logo. Lee Brimelow designed the logo, and he is the sole owner of the copyright. Internet Explorer is often used as a generic name for web browsers in general. For example, some articles that include Internet Explorer mention “Internet browser” or “web browser,” even when operating as a standalone program. It has also been called “Microsoft’s Internet browser.”, a browser with a 95% usage share. These usages are frequently interchangeable with “Web browser,” and for a time, it was common to use “Microsoft’s Web browser” as a euphemism for Internet Explorer.
