IE 8, 9, and 10 Expire Today and We’re Left with…Chrome

I want what Microsoft promised. I wanted to believe that, with Windows 10, we were going to get a fast, stable, plug-in capable, feature-rich new web browser. Once called Project Spartan (a much cooler name than what it ended up with), Edge is now months past it’s official delivery date and I’m still tapping my fingers on my desk – waiting.

Call me a die-hard, or a fan-boy, but I’ve kept trudging along with Edge. Unfortunately, it looks like I’m just about the only one. Anytime I raise an issue I’ve found with Edge (and, the problems have been numerous and often), I’m lambasted on the social networks. Folks suggest that I’m probably the only one still using Edge and that most people have already moved on. I know they’re half-joking – but I also have to admit to myself they’re only half-joking.

The only sure thing about Edge is that, sometime during the day, it will fail. And, it usually fails often. I wait for each cumulative update for Windows 10, hoping that Microsoft has finally, finally given Edge the attention customers deserve, but more and more it seems that Edge was a bad decision Microsoft may be distancing itself from. And, that plug-in capability Microsoft promised? Uh…

I say all that, to say this: After today, we will be left with only Internet Explorer 11 and Edge.

Today marks the day when IE8, IE9, and IE10 reach end of support – meaning after today’s Patch Tuesday, security updates will cease for these Internet Explorer versions. Even though IE11 has been a godsend to help when Edge decides to delete all my bookmarked favorites, it’s still not the most popular web browser among consumer-types. According to web stats, Google’s Chrome is surging in market share and analysts expect it to completely overtake any of Microsoft’s web browsers in the near future. Enterprises are seen as the only anchor for Microsoft’s browser share and that’s only for Internet Explorer. It surely was not Microsoft’s intent, but the company has somehow forgotten what led to it building its own web browser in the first place and has begun teasing Chrome with the crown. Google could add insult to injury by renaming Chrome to Netscape and bringing the browser wars full circle.

What about you? Have you moved on or are you still giving Edge (and Microsoft) a chance? With IE8, IE9, and IE10 reaching end of life, which browser will you choose?