Microsoft May rename Internet Explorer

[GoodBytes]

Ars Technica reports that Microsoft had a lot of discussions in thinking of renaming Internet Explorer, to something else.

The problem that Microsoft face is that IE11 is actually rather good web browser, after significant investment in it, but people continue to trash it due to the image of IE6.

Microsoft has had "passionate" discussions about renaming Internet Explorer to distance the browser from its tarnished image, according to answers from members of the developer team given in a reddit Ask Me Anything session today.

In spite of significant investment in the browser—with the result that Internet Explorer 11 is really quite good—many still regard the browser with contempt, soured on it by the lengthy period of neglect that came after the release of the once-dominant version 6. Microsoft has been working to court developers and get them to give the browser a second look, but the company still faces an uphill challenge.

Renaming the browser could be seen as a way of breaking from the past and distancing the new, actively maintained, standards-driven browser from this legacy. The team was asked if it had considered such a renaming, and the answer was yes. The browser developers didn't completely rule out the possibility for the future, either, noting that the discussion was "very recent" and asking rhetorically "Who knows what the future holds :)"

The company also confirmed that in spite of a new policy that offers new features in the regular monthly updates to the browser—which makes Internet Explorer much more similar to its competition—there will still be new major versions in the future.

Source: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/08/microsoft-considered-renaming-internet-explorer-to-escape-its-checkered-past/

I think it is a rather good move, and very smart, technically. However it will 'cause massive difficulties from many users who will seek "Internet Explorer" in their new system, and fail to find it, unless they do a slight alteration to the name, like calling it: "Explorer", or at least keep with the E logo, which many use to identify it as the icon to go to the Internet. Microsoft would require massive advertisement to inform about the switch, which is very costly, and Microsoft seams to have a problem in investing large amount of money in advertisement, but only end up with limited ads visibility, and difficulty in getting their message across.

Plus they would need to push Windows 9 on top of it.

What do you guys think?

[elecxonica]

I'm thinking they should name it Microsoft Steel.

[DeViLzzz]

How about calling it MicroSurf?

[Hans Christian | Teri]

The renaming is not going to change the haters opinions, people will stay ignorant.

[PirateCoffee]

Haven't got an interesting name for it, although I'm still going to use Google Chrome no matter what they change it to.

[nosirrah123]

MicroSOFT Squish

 

I actually think that'd be a clever name...

 

But in answer to if they should keep the E icon, no, because the whole point of this is that all of the Internet Explorer branding has negative things associated with it. If they're gonna re-brand they have to go all the way or not at all.

[Entropy]

I don't hate IE, but there are other browsers that do what it does, but better.

[DigitalHermit]

I don't hate IE, but there are other browsers that do what it does, but better.

 

^This^

 

IE has been inproving since IE 11 (as per the anecdote of a Computer Science student)... I'd use it if only I didn't need my dozen of Firefox Plugins and synced bookmarks...

[ForsakenLive]

People thing that trashing the browser is funny, and keep the browser back and promote ignorance.

Seriously after IE 11 stuff changed a LOT, and on mobile the browser is a beast. IE 11 and higher is a completely valid choice for an Internet user today, we are long past the IE 6 times.

 

I will miss the name if Microsoft changes it.

[Swndlr]

I don't hate IE, but there are other browsers that do what it does, but better.

i actually wanna see them come out with the new ie and have it be really good so the hate on it will stop + i have a nice browser other than firefox to use on the razer blade's high res screen. firefox and ie are the only ones that scale correctly to the screen so it would be nice to see ie look nice as well as perform as well as all the others

[flibberdipper]

I like the name. Keep it.

 

And for all of you people that shit on it, it isn't that bad. Get a fucking clue.

[Excon]

Doesnt matter what they name it, it will still suck in my opinion

[harrynowl]

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2dk60t/we_build_internet_explorer_i_know_right_ask_us/

 

IE isn't the mess it once was. I like the new one just not a fan of bing.

[Kamina]

I still don't like IE despite it be way faster than what it used to be. It just doesn't have the support like other browsers do.

[DeViLzzz]

Well I decided to send MS them my name idea and linked this thread to them.

[dragosudeki]

Smart move from them. Nobody liked Internet explorer back then and the people who aren't aware of the name change might even use it.

[Hans Christian | Teri]

What about Microsoft Explorer, or just Explorer for short. Maybe even Microsoft Surf.

 

EDIT

Are we already seeing the Internet Explorer hate bandwagon already? I thought the forum was better than this... oh wait...!

 

We kind of already have an Explorer.

[connorpiper]

IE11 is not that bad at all. 

I really would not care if I had to use it.

 

As for the name, they need to change it. Right now everyone hates it. 

[ToxicFire]

As part of the webdev community Im glad Microsoft decided to bring its browser more in line with the modern equivalents, but.... im still waiting to see whether they'll keep up with the advancements in web technologies, and no matter if they change the name or not IE will always have a bit of a bad rep in the web development community because of its history and the fact for quiet a while yet we'll still have to provide legacy support solely for I.E. because people that use IE tended not to update their browser. Put it this way IE 8 still accounts for just over 5% of the browser usage world wide... that might not sound much but compare it to IE11's browser share of 9%.

[dalekphalm]

Doesnt matter what they name it, it will still suck

And this beautifully elegant post is based on...? what, exactly?

 

IE 11 doesn't suck. Period. Certainly there are advantages to each browser at this point. That includes Firefox, chrome, and yes... IE 11 too. IE 11 is so massively different, both from a user perspective as well as a technical perspective, from the utter crap that was IE 6 to 8. And even 9 and 10 weren't the best. But IE 11 is a beast, and is quite competitive with the other 2 major browsers.

 

I'd certainly use IE 11 over Opera (glorified reskin of chrome these days) or Safari.

 

Please post something more substantial to back up your claim, or edit your post to say "in your opinion". Because that's exactly what you wrote, just your opinion and nothing more.

[Excon]

And this beautifully elegant post is based on...? what, exactly?

 

IE 11 doesn't suck. Period. Certainly there are advantages to each browser at this point. That includes Firefox, chrome, and yes... IE 11 too. IE 11 is so massively different, both from a user perspective as well as a technical perspective, from the utter crap that was IE 6 to 8. And even 9 and 10 weren't the best. But IE 11 is a beast, and is quite competitive with the other 2 major browsers.

 

I'd certainly use IE 11 over Opera (glorified reskin of chrome these days) or Safari.

 

Please post something more substantial to back up your claim, or edit your post to say "in your opinion". Because that's exactly what you wrote, just your opinion and nothing more.

In my opinion it does suck. I prefer the customization of Chrome, Im more used to the UI as well. I prefer the integration with Youtube, Gmail and soon to be Twitch. The additional add ons which are easy to find and safe to download. You are right that I should have added"in my opinion" into my post and I will for extra clarification. At the same time I wasnt forcing my opinion down peoples throat and saying its the be all and end all.

[GoodBytes]

IE11 strength, which people forgets is that it is actually the lightest web browser, it starts in a snap, even on a slow ass system, it offers fast page rendering on scroll even on a slow system (Firefox and Chrome has trouble with some sites. Heck the fact I put my system in Power Saver on battery, makes both web browser unable to scroll sites like The Verge smoothly. This is despite using a powerful Core i5 U4300). Currently, IE is the only web browser with perfectly smooth zooming and acts like you would expect on a tablet or smartphone, and is the only web browser that properly and fully is high DPI aware. It renders pages almost as fast, has no problem with sites even banking ones. And in addition, IE11 is the web browser that affect your battery life the least.

And I am being fair here. I was like everyone else here, who hated IE deeply. I jump ship into Firefox back in 0.x days. But I am not close minded. I notice when a web browser gets good or sucky. I did jump ship to Chrome at some point, then back to Firefox when Chrome started to track what you web surf, and build a profile and associate it with a Google account, the moment you login to one, and hide this fact under links of links of web pages in their EULA, to force you to read more than already lengthy EULA, to hide that fact. Not mention it got to be a memory hog, and kills system battery life.

What web browser I use now. I use both Firefox and IE11. I think iE11 is about a hair to be good enough for me to switch as my only web browser. Especially that Google doesn't seam to care about Chrome and uses it as a vehicle to push Google+, and the above mentioned points, and is no longer good. Just marginally faster than Firefox. Mozilla lost passion in Firefox it seams. Features takes forever to come, and stuck in time, dropping Windows 8 App, ignoring tablets, touchscreen laptops, and modern desktops with 4K displays where you want high-DPI support. Makes me feel that Mozilla still runs on Windows 2000, in their world.

[Me1z]

I like the name. Keep it.

 

And for all of you people that shit on it, it isn't that bad. Get a fucking clue.

 

While I'll agree that IE isn't terrible anymore and its earned it place back in the browser wars, that's about as much credit as it deserves. It's improved, but its nothing spectacular. At this point I still much prefer Chrome and Firefox.

[flibberdipper]

While I'll agree that IE isn't terrible anymore and its earned it place back in the browser wars, that's about as much credit as it deserves. It's improved, but its nothing spectacular. At this point I still much prefer Chrome and Firefox.

Agreed.

[Victorious Secret]

At this point IE is a lighter OS than Chrome. Chrome has gotten bloated. I have little loyalty. I went from IE to FireFox to Chrome and back to IE.