Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Internet Explorer 9 Will Not Support Windows XP

Posted by timothy on from the are-you-keeping-up-with-me dept.

MojoKid writes "As it turns out, news this week is that the same features that made IE9's hardware-acceleration possible probably aren't compatible with Windows XP. Microsoft initially dodged giving a straight answer to the question of XP support but has since admitted that the new browser won't be XP-compatible when it launches. This has created a small tempest of protest from those users still using XP, but this is less of an arbitrary decision than some appear to think. It's literally impossible to port Windows Vista/Win 7-style hardware acceleration backwards to XP. Microsoft would have to either develop a workaround from scratch or create a CPU-driven 'software mode.'"

4 of 454 comments (clear)

  1. I can! by daoshi · · Score: 1, Redundant

    1. Switch on my laptop
    2. Boot into XP.
    3. Install VirtualBox
    4. Install Vista in VirtualBox
    5. Install IE9 in Vista
    6. ????
    7. Profit!
    8. Got infested with virus because of 0day IE9 holes.
    9. Reboot into Ubuntu and start up Firefox
    10. World peace.

  2. Re:Dichotomy by sopssa · · Score: 0, Redundant

    XP is an 10 year old OS. Users will move on. Vista/Win7 are soon passing XP in market share and will do even more so as people buy new computers.

    Besides, IE8 is a perfectly secure browser with sandboxing for XP and it has none the exploits that IE6 has. It's good for XP users.

  3. Re:Dichotomy by sopssa · · Score: -1, Redundant

    Rather than standards compliance, it's better to get the users to move away from 10 years old OS which support will end. Vista/Win7 are by default a lot more secure operating systems than XP.

  4. Re:Not surprised by sopssa · · Score: -1, Redundant

    It's relevant because operating systems improve over time. The underlying system has changed and improved a lot too, hence programs made for newer OS don't work with the old ones. At some point it's good to jump off the sinking ship rather than hold on die a horrible death.