Microsoft kills Internet Explorer brand.. at last!

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**angelofvengeance**

http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/17/8230631/microsoft-is-killing-off-the-internet-explorer-brand

For the work blocked:

While Microsoft has dropped hints that the Internet Explorer brand is going away, the software maker has now confirmed that it will use a new name for its upcoming browser successor, codenamed Project Spartan. Speaking at Microsoft Convergence yesterday, Microsoft's marketing chief Chris Capossela revealed that the company is currently working on a new name and brand. "We’re now researching what the new brand, or the new name, for our browser should be in Windows 10," said Capossela. "We’ll continue to have Internet Explorer, but we’ll also have a new browser called Project Spartan, which is codenamed Project Spartan. We have to name the thing."

Internet Explorer will still exist in some versions of Windows 10 mainly for enterprise compatibility, but the new Project Spartan will be named separately and will be the primary way for Windows 10 users to access the web. Microsoft has tried, unsuccessfully, to shake off the negative image of Internet Explorer over the past several years with a series of amusing campaigns mocking Internet Explorer 6. The ads didn't improve the situation, and Microsoft's former Internet Explorer chief left the company in December, signalling a new era for the browser.

Capossela also detailed the power of using the Microsoft brand over just Windows or Internet Explorer, and showed off some research data on a new name for the company’s browser vs. Internet Explorer. Putting Microsoft in front of the new secret name increased the appeal to some Chrome users in the UK. "Just by putting the Microsoft name in front of it, the delta for Chrome users on appeal is incredibly high," says Capossela.

Microsoft is clearly testing names with market research, but it’s unclear when the company plans to unveil the final name for its Internet Explorer successor. Judging by Microsoft’s own research, it’s obvious the company will move as far away from Internet Explorer as possible, and it’s likely Project Spartan will have the Microsoft name attached to it.

Elsewhere in Capossela’s talk, the Microsoft executive also discussed the ways the company will make money in future, and clever ways the company is making use of social media. Microsoft has started to use artists to respond to Twitter users with personalised images, and at least one from the Xbox team was successful at creating attention with an impressive 35,000 retweets. It’s all part of improving Microsoft’s brand perception, and a general admission from the company that it’s ready to be loved again.

So people will still use Microsoft's browser for what it was always intended to do: search for a better browser

**djones520**

This is going to be very interesting. A lot of military software has been built to work specifically with IE, it's security and that type of stuff.

I imagine Microsoft is going to have a plan in place.

**Grey Templar**

My guess is whatever their new system is will be compatible with IE. Just "improved".

The name change is to ditch the bad impressions that IE gives.

**KiloFiX**

Spartan! The browser formerly known as Internet Explorer!

**kronk**

Different name, same viruses...

**timetowaste85**

I hope they change the iconic mouse "pointer" to a mugshot of Master Chief. I will be very chagrined if they don't implement this necessary add-on.

**Yodhrin**

The only thing that matters is whether or not they've fixed the glaring security vulnerabilities that IE had. Tying a browser, ie a major vector for infection, so closely into the basic OS was always stupid.

Also, I'll put down 10 pseudobucks on "Bing Browser", because it's Microsoft and they never learn.

**Necros**

I think they should name it "Usechromethxbye"

**Dreadclaw69**

djones520 wrote:
This is going to be very interesting. A lot of military software has been built to work specifically with IE, it's security and that type of stuff.

I imagine Microsoft is going to have a plan in place.

That's my thinking too. Lots of the USICS pages we had to use (and still have to use) clearly stated that they were designed and certified only for Explorer

**KamikazeCanuck**

Microsoft's "Project Spartan"? Apparently the new software is going to be Halo-Explorer or Master-Chief-browser.

**Desubot**

KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Microsoft's "Project Spartan"? Apparently the new software is going to be Halo-Explorer or Master-Chief-browser.

Its just gona be a whole lot of Cortana

**KamikazeCanuck**

Desubot wrote:
KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Microsoft's "Project Spartan"? Apparently the new software is going to be Halo-Explorer or Master-Chief-browser.

Its just gona be a whole lot of Cortana

You're not even joking are you?

**Desubot**

KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Desubot wrote:
KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Microsoft's "Project Spartan"? Apparently the new software is going to be Halo-Explorer or Master-Chief-browser.

Its just gona be a whole lot of Cortana

You're not even joking are you?

Well Cortana be in Windows phones so i aint surprised

**Avatar 720**

Skynet begins with Microsoft's new browser going rampant. Good to know.

**Howard A Treesong**

I like the simplicity of Google Chrome. IE has just looked cluttered for a long time and I can't find stuff, it's always trying to add more toolbars instead.

**Iron_Captain**

Howard A Treesong wrote:
I like the simplicity of Google Chrome. IE has just looked cluttered for a long time and I can't find stuff, it's always trying to add more toolbars instead.

I agree. I mean, IE is a internet browser? I never noticed. Maybe the browser is hidden under all the toolbars?

**d-usa**

Is IE really that much worse than all the other browsers anymore? Sometimes it feels like people are just hating on it because it used to be cool to hate on it and everyone wants to be cool.

It seems like every browser is now just a resource hog and slows down everything.

**Squidmanlolz**

man, Microsoft is really pushing their Halo themes
First they named their Siri-clone Cortana, now their internet browser is Project Spartan?
methinks someone is obsessed with the cashcow back in 2000

**d-usa**

I'm looking forward to the Code Red Mountain Dew Halo phone next year!

**Laemos**

The motto should be tonight we browse in hell!

**LordofHats**

d-usa wrote:
Is IE really that much worse than all the other browsers anymore? Sometimes it feels like people are just hating on it because it used to be cool to hate on it and everyone wants to be cool.

It seems like every browser is now just a resource hog and slows down everything.

This. IE actually fixed most of its glaring problems some years ago, but it's reputation is so atrocious that nothing MS did could fix it.

I highly doubt this new browser will be any different. It's going to be IE under a new brand name, nothing more.

**d-usa**

LordofHats wrote:
d-usa wrote:
Is IE really that much worse than all the other browsers anymore? Sometimes it feels like people are just hating on it because it used to be cool to hate on it and everyone wants to be cool.

It seems like every browser is now just a resource hog and slows down everything.

This. IE actually fixed most of its glaring problems some years ago, but it's reputation is so atrocious that nothing MS did could fix it.

I highly doubt this new browser will be any different. It's going to be IE under a new brand name, nothing more.

Between IE getting better, and FireChromeEtc getting worse, it feels like we have reached browser parity. It's the Pepsi vs Coke of the new generation!

**jreilly89**

About time. This would almost make me give up Chrome. Almost.

**whembly**

d-usa wrote:
LordofHats wrote:
d-usa wrote:
Is IE really that much worse than all the other browsers anymore? Sometimes it feels like people are just hating on it because it used to be cool to hate on it and everyone wants to be cool.

It seems like every browser is now just a resource hog and slows down everything.

This. IE actually fixed most of its glaring problems some years ago, but it's reputation is so atrocious that nothing MS did could fix it.

I highly doubt this new browser will be any different. It's going to be IE under a new brand name, nothing more.

Between IE getting better, and FireChromeEtc getting worse, it feels like we have reached browser parity. It's the Pepsi vs Coke of the new generation!

Actually, for home use, the parity exists. (I gave up on Chrome/Firefox... went back to IE and haven't looked back).

But, for the work environment? IE is still king due to the number web enabled applications out on the market.

**Torga_DW**

LordofHats wrote:
d-usa wrote:
Is IE really that much worse than all the other browsers anymore? Sometimes it feels like people are just hating on it because it used to be cool to hate on it and everyone wants to be cool.

It seems like every browser is now just a resource hog and slows down everything.

This. IE actually fixed most of its glaring problems some years ago, but it's reputation is so atrocious that nothing MS did could fix it.

I highly doubt this new browser will be any different. It's going to be IE under a new brand name, nothing more.

It's reputation is deserved, is the problem. If you'd said they fixed "all the glaring problems" i might think differently. Having sweetheart deals with a lot of companies/developers/etc doesn't make it a good or even decent product.

**Avatar 720**

I've been using Chrome on this machine because it was the first browser I clicked after putting it together. Previously, I used IE. I seriously cannot tell the difference, especially once I found out how the bookmark bar worked (which was my only issue with using Chrome before now: there wasn't a Favourites folder as default like there was on IE).

I highly doubt that my browsing experience would have been noticeably different had I used IE first instead.

But you can't really admit any of that, especially to Chrome/Firefox Master Race-rs.

**Torga_DW**

Its not the interface, its what goes on behind the scenes. ActiveX was a recipe for disaster.

**daedalus**

I prefer Chrome, with Firefox being a close second. Chrome (well, Chromium) is a nicer browser, but Firefox has much better options. FF allows you to have proxy settings different from Chrome (which uses IE settings) which allows for some very cool plugins. Regexp based proxy settings on a per-tab basis are amazing. I've done some super cool stuff with that at work.

**H.B.M.C.**

I guess like IE itself, it's death with be slow and drawn out.

**KaptinBadrukk**

IE was

But I use it all the time.