Microsoft’s Death Squeeze On Internet Explorer.

The announcement was not unexpected. Microsoft will stop supporting Mac Internet Explorer at the end of 2005. Surprised?

What was surprising was that the announcement was on Yahoo news. MSIE for Mac has been dead for years. Why did it need an official announcement?

Earlier this year Microsoft told Mac users to stop using Internet Explorer, even on Microsoft’s own web site for Macs.

No more security updates from Microsoft (they’re too busy working on security updates for Internet Explorer for Windows). No more download available from Microsoft’s web site.

For Mac users, this is not really news at all. It’s an asterisk or an afterthought. Nothing more.

Microsoft’s announcement read, in part:

“In June 2003, the Microsoft Macintosh Business Unit announced that Internet Explorer for Mac would undergo no further development, and support would cease in 2005.”

Microsoft supported Internet Explorer on the Mac? Who knew?

Isn’t there some kind of Statute of UnLimitations that says a company must support a dead product for awhile after it’s dead?

““In accordance with published support lifecycle policies, Microsoft will end support for Internet Explorer for Mac on December 31st, 2005, and will provide no further security or performance updates.”

Microsoft provided performance updates for Internet Explorer on the Mac? Who knew?

I’ll give Microsoft’s Mac Business Unit some credit. They’re a gutsy bunch to say Microsoft has published support lifecycle policies. Where were they when Hurricane Katrina victims needed policies that are ignored?

So, you’re a glutton for punishment and fear for the life of the Mac platform and think you can extend it by using something, anything by Microsoft. To that end, Microsoft gives you another month:

“Additionally, as of January 31st, 2006, Internet Explorer for the Mac will no longer be available for download from Mactopia. It is recommended that Macintosh users migrate to more recent web browsing technologies such as Apple’s Safari”

Notice, the MBU announcement doesn’t say that Safari is better than Internet Explorer, or even why they dumped MSIE in the first place. Safari, arguably as good a browser as any-- ever, is merely “recent.”

Macworld’s headline rang out, ”Last nail in the coffin for Mac Interneet Explorer.”

At least Mac users knew MSIE was dead before the rest of the world.

How dead is MSIE? For Mac360 users, pretty dead. I ran a quick check of our Urchin logs for the past three months, 90 days. Mac Internet Explorer counts for just under one half of one percent of all Mac360 site visitors.

Windows Internet Explorer users account for about 20-percent of all Mac360 readers. We assume they’re captive users. Mac users in heart, mind, and soul, but stuck at work and required to use Windows.

Firefox users, both Mac and Windows, account for just under 25-percent of Mac360 readers. Safari accounts for nearly 55-percent, and the rest are Mozilla, OmniWeb, Camino, iCab, Opera, Shiira, and an occasional Linux stray.

The only surprise to Microsoft’s so-called news is that the announcement made the news wires, AP, Yahoo, and many others, though briefly before more important ‘real’ news showed up.

It’s the passing of an era. Now if we could only get Microsoft to announce the same thing for Internet Explorer on Windows. If only…

For Mac users, browser choices have never, ever, not ever been better than they are today. Safari is top notch. Firefox and Camino are on fire. OmniWeb and Opera are feature laden, fast, stable. I’ve even toyed with Shiira and find that it works welll and has a Dashboard Widget browser.

Internet Explorer, we hardly knew ye. For that, I’m glad.

Tera Patricks
About time. Now if we could only get Microsoft to adopt HTML and CSS standards for their remaining browser.

Jack D. Miller
I used MSIE when I first switched to Mac a few years ago. I thought it was better than MSIE on Windows. Since then, every browser on the Mac is better than MSIE on Windows.

Carol Mary Miller
I’m trying out Shiira now. It’s quite good. Colorful and fast. But for the life of me I can’t figure out why we need so many different web browsers.

Alexis Kayhill
I like the prices on web browsers these days. The only one that cost money is OmniWeb and it’s worth it.

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