Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer is a discontinued series of graphical user interface-based web browsers developed by Microsoft and included in the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. It was first released as part of the add-on package for Windows 95 in 1995, and was later included in Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. The browser was also available for Windows Server and Mac OS X, and was used by NASA, IBM, and Google for various purposes. Microsoft Edge, developed by Microsoft, has replaced it as the default browser on Windows 10.

● History

The development of the browser began in 1994, led by Thomas Reardon, who worked with Spyglass, Inc. to create the Mosaic-based browser. The first version, Internet Explorer 1, was released in 1995, and was followed by Internet Explorer 2, which added support for SSL, cookies, and JavaScript. The browser gained popularity with the release of Internet Explorer 3 in 1996, which included support for CSS, VBScript, and Java applets, and was used by Amazon, eBay, and Yahoo!. The browser was also used by NASA to access the International Space Station and by IBM to access the IBM Cloud.

● Features

The browser included several features, such as tabbed browsing, pop-up blocking, and phishing protection, which were also available in other browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari. It also included support for RSS, Atom, and XML, and was compatible with Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight, and Java. The browser was used by Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to provide a seamless user experience, and was also used by Google to access Google Drive and Google Docs.

● Versions

There were several versions of the browser, including Internet Explorer 1, Internet Explorer 2, Internet Explorer 3, Internet Explorer 4, Internet Explorer 5, Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 8, Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer 10, and Internet Explorer 11. Each version added new features and improved performance, and was used by Microsoft, Apple, and Google for various purposes. The browser was also used by NASA to access the Hubble Space Telescope and by IBM to access the IBM Watson.

● Security

The browser had several security vulnerabilities, including the Buffer overflow bug, which was exploited by malware and viruses, such as the I Love You virus and the Conficker worm. The browser also had issues with cross-site scripting and clickjacking, which were used by hackers to steal user data, and was criticized by Edward Snowden and Julian Assange for its security flaws. However, the browser also included several security features, such as Windows Defender and SmartScreen, which were designed to protect users from malware and phishing attacks, and were used by Microsoft, Google, and Facebook to protect their users.

● Market_share

The browser was once the most widely used browser, with a market share of over 90%, but its market share declined with the release of other browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari, which were used by Apple, Google, and Microsoft for various purposes. According to Net Applications, the browser's market share declined from 95% in 2003 to less than 5% in 2020, and was replaced by Microsoft Edge as the default browser on Windows 10, which was developed by Microsoft and used by IBM and NASA.

● Development_and_end_of_life

The development of the browser ended with the release of Internet Explorer 11 in 2013, and the browser was officially discontinued by Microsoft in 2021, and was replaced by Microsoft Edge as the default browser on Windows 10, which was developed by Microsoft and used by Google, Facebook, and Twitter. The browser is no longer supported by Microsoft, and users are encouraged to upgrade to Microsoft Edge or other modern browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari, which are used by Apple, Google, and Microsoft for various purposes. Category:Web browsers