7 ms·

> If Microsoft really believes no-one needs IE, why is it still shipping it as part of Windows 10? We have multi-million dollar software that relies on IE to r

> If Microsoft really believes no-one needs IE, why is it still shipping it as part of Windows 10? We have multi-million dollar software that relies on IE to run -- that's why. What good is an OS that can't run our software? Since Windows 10 we've setup an icon to just launch this application in IE and set the default browser for end-users to Chrome. Eventually that software will be replaced and we can end our use of IE but today is not that day.

cr0sh 7y ago
It's basically the same way with VB6 apps - so many of them out there, and MS can't get rid of the runtime DLL...
- wvenable 7y ago
  The desktop component of this very same application requires the VB6 runtime. And the server side requires Korn shell (for Windows)!
criddell 7y ago
IE doesn't have to ship with Windows 10, does it? Is there any reason it couldn't be a separate install? I don't use it so I'd rather not have it on my machine.
- cesarb 7y ago
  From what I recall, iexplore.exe is actually only a small wrapper around mshtml.dll. A lot of software depend on mshtml.dll and related DLLs. So you might think you're not using IE, but other non-browser software you use might be using IE under the covers. If Microsoft doesn't install IE by default, these programs would not work correctly (which is why Wine also implements these DLLs).
  - sjwright 7y ago
    Correct, iexplore.exe is itself a small wrapper. But that doesn't stop Microsoft from not shipping that small wrapper. Software that embeds mshtml.dll does not require the existence of the exe file. (Or alternatively, Microsoft could put some hack into Windows so that attempts to run iexplore.exe are passed to Edge unless the administrator has twiddled with some arbitrary registry key or group policy.)
    - wvenable 7y ago
      > But that doesn't stop Microsoft from not shipping that small wrapper. They could but that goes back to reply about it existing software still requiring IE. IE will be around for as long as very critical apps still require it. In some form, it might be around forever.
      - Polylactic_acid 7y ago
        IE should just be a compatibility mode in edge so you only have one program and a button to say "this page is broken, load in legacy mode". That way everyone else in the world can stop being forced to support IE users.
        AstralStorm 7y ago
        This won't work where ActiveX is required. They would have to write a plug-in wrapper...
        sjwright 7y ago
        The legacy mode would surely run MSHTML.dll for the entire page.
    - paulddraper 7y ago
      > But that doesn't stop Microsoft from not shipping that small wrapper. But what's the benefit of complicating the install?
felipelemos 7y ago
You have to install Chrome anyway, why not also install IE? I'm sure this would not be a big deal for a multi-million dollar company.
- wvenable 7y ago
  IE is an OS component; it's not merely a browser.

cr0sh 7y ago

It's basically the same way with VB6 apps - so many of them out there, and MS can't get rid of the runtime DLL...

wvenable 7y ago
The desktop component of this very same application requires the VB6 runtime. And the server side requires Korn shell (for Windows)!

criddell 7y ago

IE doesn't have to ship with Windows 10, does it? Is there any reason it couldn't be a separate install? I don't use it so I'd rather not have it on my machine.

cesarb 7y ago
From what I recall, iexplore.exe is actually only a small wrapper around mshtml.dll. A lot of software depend on mshtml.dll and related DLLs. So you might think you're not using IE, but other non-browser software you use might be using IE under the covers. If Microsoft doesn't install IE by default, these programs would not work correctly (which is why Wine also implements these DLLs).
- sjwright 7y ago
  Correct, iexplore.exe is itself a small wrapper. But that doesn't stop Microsoft from not shipping that small wrapper. Software that embeds mshtml.dll does not require the existence of the exe file. (Or alternatively, Microsoft could put some hack into Windows so that attempts to run iexplore.exe are passed to Edge unless the administrator has twiddled with some arbitrary registry key or group policy.)
  - wvenable 7y ago
    > But that doesn't stop Microsoft from not shipping that small wrapper. They could but that goes back to reply about it existing software still requiring IE. IE will be around for as long as very critical apps still require it. In some form, it might be around forever.
    - Polylactic_acid 7y ago
      IE should just be a compatibility mode in edge so you only have one program and a button to say "this page is broken, load in legacy mode". That way everyone else in the world can stop being forced to support IE users.
      - AstralStorm 7y ago
        This won't work where ActiveX is required. They would have to write a plug-in wrapper...
        sjwright 7y ago
        The legacy mode would surely run MSHTML.dll for the entire page.
  - paulddraper 7y ago
    > But that doesn't stop Microsoft from not shipping that small wrapper. But what's the benefit of complicating the install?

felipelemos 7y ago

You have to install Chrome anyway, why not also install IE? I'm sure this would not be a big deal for a multi-million dollar company.

wvenable 7y ago
IE is an OS component; it's not merely a browser.