IE8 Released As Critical Update For XP

Binestar was one of several readers writing in to note that Microsoft is listing IE8 as a critical update to Windows XP. CNet reported a couple of weeks back that Microsoft would be rolling our IE8 to users in a gradual fashion, and requiring an opt-in before installing it. Opinion has been split as to whether IE8 is worth installing or not. Binestar notes delicately, "For those not interested in upgrading to IE8 at this time, the MSDN released information back in January on how to keep IE8 off your machine."

Comments

Re:So what

[click2005]

Some software uses IE embedded. Valve's Steam & the HTML help system both do and I'm sure theres plenty more too.

Re:And by critical they mean?

[Randle_Revar]

Yes, Standards mode is default, although it is easy to override, either from the user side or the web author side: <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=7" />

http://blogs.msdn.com/askie/archive/2009/03/23/understanding-compatibility-modes-in-internet-explorer-8.aspx

Re:So what

[rts008]

Yes, and no.
If you use XP and/or the 'view in IE tab' extension, then yes, you should be using at least IE7 for on-line security.(IE 5,6,7, or 8-whatever is installed, is just opened in a FF tab/window-vulnerabilities will still exist somewhat)
If 'no to both', then don't worry about it.

The 'bottom line' is: get rid of IE 6, or earlier at all costs. (as a 'Home' user-at work:YMMV)

Re:Didn't XP ship with 6?

[Fallen Seraph]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment#Project_Thor

Re:So what

[zonky]

It does on XP, which is what the parent was asking about.

Re:what's so critical about a web browser?

[rapiddescent]

in terms of cost - it isn't a user problem in my view. The finance company I consult at has its entire sales platform built on VB6/IIS5 and (shock horror) VBScript so it only works on IE6. This was sold to them as an approach by MS back in the day - the platform will cost over $20m - $30m to replace... It hasn't helped that the weakness of the VB6/IIS platform for enterprise software has made it very hard to replace (no business effective tier separation, lack of rules engine, poor security approach etc) and MS did not provide an upgrade approach to .NET for large platforms.

We're just waiting now for the sales to drop off (or the phone lines to be swamped) as our business to business customers get their browsers upgraded and don't buy online from us. We've got $m's worth of projects on the go to replace the platform but the business feels it has been strongarmed into replacing the platform with a like for like replacement with no business advantage.i.e. they are set back 2 years to get to the same place we are at now.

In a way, this is a blessing in disguise because MS is never going to be selling enterprise solutions (beyond file & print) here again and now open source is certainly not frowned upon and is a real contender for big enterprise systems. It's certainly not fluff - This organisation deals with a quarter of the population of UK and employes 10's of thousands of people.

yawn

[smash]

If you're a home user, figure it out yourself.
If you're on a corporate LAN, you should be using WSUS to control updates yourself anyway. its a free download with minimal updates, all you need is a domain controller or copy of regedit to push your workstations to the WSUS server's IP instead of microsoft directly.

Re:what's so critical about a web browser?

[petermgreen]

Which version of XP? the new one (SP3)that comes on netbooks with IE7?
SP3 does not come with IE7, if it's shipped by default on your netbook that means the OEM added it seperately.