Comments on: Why I won't be turning off Internet Explorer 8

Will you be turning Internet Explorer 8 off in Windows 7? Don Reisinger won't be and explains exactly why.

[monkeyfun14]

Hey anyone know how I can get paid for doing Mozilla's advertising?

These other guys must be getting paid they're trying really hard.

[nixtish]

ie 8 does not support mc afee anti virus

[homercles82]

"To me, the value of doing so doesn't outweigh the value of just leaving it on my desktop and ignoring it like I do now. You never know when you might need it."

That's the beauty of Win7. It won't be on your desktop and does not need to be pinned to the task bar. :)

[ZoeWoman85]

Not so much a comment as a question: I am a Firefox user. I love it, not looking to switch. However, because of my internet service, I still need to use IE on occasion. I have IE6, but can any of you think of a reason why I should ever upgrade to IE7 or even IE8? Understand, even a newer version of Internet Explorer will not convince me to ditch Firefox and its cool add-ons.

[RanMan1255]

I personally like the idea of being able to shut off IE because it means I manually will not have make all the changes like default programs and others that impact my hobby of building web sites with WYSIWYG freebie websites. I have several and depending upon which I am using certain issues arise that require me to intervene. Some because of embedded IE functionality and others because of addons, and finally some because of conflicts between IE addons and Firefox extensions. I would not uninstall IE because I use if for Windows updates, but being able to quickly enable or disable it would be welcomed.

Regarding the ongoing debate about browsers. I think people should just use what they prefer and it should not entail a lobbying effort to convert. Although I would admit I make a fairly decent argument as to why Firefox is much better. It is not because of page loading speed which everyone seems to be dwelling on in the recent debate, it is much more. I spent a lot of time doing comparisons because of a informal article written by a guy that goes by the name of "Mouserunner", I huge supporter of Firefox. Sure what finally swayed me over to Firefox was not just the improved security or the ability to completely customize to my liking, but as suggested by Mouserunner I did a side by side comparison (window to window) of how IE and Firefox render web pages. Firefox's superiority was obviously after visiting hundreds of web page. Graphics are significantly better. The pages simply look much better enhancing my Internet experience. I've even created my own web pages and viewed them in side by side comparisons with IE and Firefox and the results supported my opinion of better appearance. I did this only because since I created the web pages, with limited skills, the difference I was viewing was not related to better skills or some sort of HTML trickery, just a better rendition.

Statements that IE is not weaker than other browsers is simply wrong. Not necessary because of it software design, but because it is the browser "most in use" and that is why the "evil doers" go after it. Bad guys go after the source that is most likely to reward them, not a system running a browser that has a smaller user base. It is just common sense to go where the odds are better. As other browsers get larger market share they will become targeted more often.

Anyway, MS is doing the right thing by giving us a choice and hopefully it will not only help them legally, but make some users life easier too. Although the world seems to be full of "MS Haters" these days I support MS only because it works nicely for me.

IMHO

[screamapillar]

Well put RanMan :)

This is really about choice. Use whatever you want to use but it is a good thing to have the choice - the writer of the article is choosing to leave IE8 on for his own reasons. I won't for my own reasons. It's all good and we should encourage companies like Microsoft to continue practices like this (giving us a choice) rather than their normally very anti-competitive dogmatic approaches.

[planetjeffy]

I have several web based apps that only work with IE. I occasionally use it to do multiple posts to craigslist, since it has a different set of cookies. I've downloaded the new IE 8 and it is not bad. It is as fast as Firefox, but doesn't have all the cool add ons I can't live without - but probably end up slowing it to IE speed. When I want quick and basic, I use Chrome. Their all in one box is brilliant and I'm sure FF will be copying it soon. I stuck Chrome on my mom's poky laptop and she loves it.

[firefoxx04]

ok, to all the windows and ie haters, go install linux, or deal with it, my god, i hate windows but ima buy every new realease, i like windows and ie and will continue to use them, if you dont, then stop bi%$%en and buy mac or install linux my god

[DCScript]

Hi all...
I really don't like the Internet Explorer but we should to understand that point "the Windows is based on Internet Explorer" and we cannot disable it. So in this news i saw Don Reisinger said: "And if I really don't want to use it, why can't I just set Firefox or Opera to my default and never open Internet Explorer?" Do you think you cannot set another browser as default Windows browser? It is possible from 'Add/Remove Programs' so take a look at this Screen shot: http://dcscript.net/Otherz/ScreenShot.png

[rmcturnan]

I have the beta of windows 7 and have had no problems including IE 8. But, forget about running IE 8 under windows xp. Runs very sluggish. I downloaded the IE 8 install for Windows XP and went back to Explorer 7. Not sure what the problem is but this is just a heads-up.

William

[john3347]

If Firefox (or somebody else) wrote a program for web browsing that would do what IE (whatever version) would do, I might consider uninstalling or deactivating IE. That hasn't happened yet. For instance, will somebody show me how to create a desktop shortcut to the current webpage that I am visiting with a simple mouse click as I can do with IE? NO, When all the other chasers catch up to Internet Explorer, I will consider using one of them, Until then, I not only retain IE on my computer...........I use it exclusively.

That's easy, just drag the address from the address bar to your desktop. Are you sure you've really given Firefox a try? It has had that forever.

[Evil_Overlord]

How exactly is it understandable that all of this stuff is "staged" (read, present but hidden)? It still takes up space. Why not have, as so many have recommended, TWO options - 'hide' and 'remove' (truly remove). Actually, I'd keep IE8 for those sites that need it. It's some of the other garbage (e.g., Messenger) I'd get rid of.

[unifex_]

Oh come one, how small is your hard drive? Will 10 MB (that's about how much you save by completely uninstalling the IE) make a real difference?

[alenas]

For me IE8 is the fastest browser (I do use Chrome and Opera too though). Chrome, Opera or Safri do not have ad-blockers. Firefox ad-block slows down browser a lot. IEPro on the other hand works pretty well with IE7 or IE8. Without ads Internet experience is much more pleasurable and faster.
The point is that for those annoying ads (internet spam) I blame Google. It is the company that is making fortune on internet spamming. So Google is not making internet faster - it is just using internet to spin it's spam machine...Please stop complaining about MS and look at the real issue on the net...

[sue08401]

I started with Lynx (I sometimes wish I had it again) went to Mozilla then Netscape. I've tried Firefox and it's a nice browser. But for the most part it is the site design rather than the browser being used that normally proves to be annoying. My last 2 PC's I've just left IE as my browser. Why? Because the differences aren't enough for me to bother with.

And before people get to loud about website design. I designed my first site under HTML1.1 at a time when some people still used Lynx so you used the alt script with graphics. Today if you turn of the graphics function you wouldn't know what most of the pages were about. Complaints can be valid or they can be self serving.

[Assais]

Dude who cares whether you will be turning off IE 8 or not? I couldn't give a rat's ass. I can't believe you get paid to write such useless columns like these.I could do it better! Hire me CNET!

[fcs25]

IE 7-8 are fine browsers I have used them all and the only one that "always" works on "every" site is IE. Get over the fact that if it wasn't for microsoft and Bill Gates we wouldn't even have an internet to gripe about.Grow up!!!!!

[BCF1968]

God with all the IE haters and fanbois of other browsers. I use IE and considering Don is **** on nearly evetything he writes, that makes me not want to use FF and Opera even more. I'm continually surprised c-net keeps giving this loser a forum to spout his idiotic rantings. I hear all this crap about security and other junk. I have NEVER EVER had an issue with secuirty. Why? Because I'm not retarded. I keep my computer secured. If your browser is your form of security I can 100% guarantee you your PC is compromised. That's like locking your car door but leaving the window down.

[FroZone]

Blog Title: "Why I won't be turning off Internet Explorer 8"
Blog Answer: "Because if I did, I might have to turn it on again."

sigh.

[geoffsul]

This may be the most lame blog in history. A concept that barely needs one sentence to cover "I won't disable IE 8 cuz I might need it" somehow morphs into 14 paragraphs without adding any inisght whatsoever. Slow news dayDonny, or just hungover?

[KageYuurei]

To be honest for me, I use Firefox, and it gets the job done but yes still there are some things that get through. However, the entire argument, for me, about which browser should be used or why Firefox / Chrome / AuntSally's Browser is one of which browser gives me the most virus problems. Whenever the Windows Help on my XP SP3 laptop attempts to open up a Microsoft page I get literally no less than 2 or 3 warnings from my anti-virus the moment IE starts to boot. With any other browser I don't have those issues and Microsoft has even released a small program for people who are having trouble with the Windows Genuine verification that verifies your copy of Windows itself and then gives you a code that you enter into the site and it allows you further in. Honestly I haven't tried any browser except Firefox since IE7 so I have no idea how IE8 will perform, and I'm not trying to say use Firefox because I'm starting to want to move to something else myself just due to Firefox keeps updating and then none of my plug-ins work anymore and I can no longer view flash or things like that.

[schmidty313]

I agree, there is no point of disabling it, the only thing I might look into disabling is WMC.