No IE9 for Windows XP - Will Microsoft regret this decision?

[Lazure]

I'm sure those idiots who still stay with IE6, will finally care when most of their favorite websites stop working/looking properly. In fact, this is already occurring on a somewhat minor level as it is, with sites using PNGs that IE6 cannot handle and whatnot.

What will happen when a website becomes unusable, or doesn't even load at all in IE6? What will these people do? I am wondering what their responses would be to this scenario.

This is exactly what needs to be done, to truly phase out XP. Stop supporting it. Obviously telling people that it's an old and outdated OS isn't going to change their minds, they like their old fashioned XP and believe it will work for them for the rest of their lives. What will happen when just about everything stops supporting XP? As in, Windows 98-style lack of support. Will they keep using it anyways, even at the cost of using completely outdated software and hardware? What if their hardware fails, and the new hardware on the market doesn't have working XP drivers down the road?

People who cling so adamantly to the aged, 8 year old OS, neglect to realize the future is going to grind further and further against them. They fail to see what's going to wind up happening sooner or later. All it takes is a lightning bolt to strike their computer 3 years from now, and if the hardware released then doesn't support XP... they won't have a choice in the matter will they?

[Chris123NT]

I hate articles like this. First of all, Adrian writes some real crap at times, although he's not as bad as the Kennedy whackjob. The fact is that IE9 is built on the idea of FULL HARDWARE ACCLERATION through Direct2D and DirectWrite. This is something that XP simply cannot support. I think Microsoft is making the right decision here, it is time to let XP die people, it has been dragged on for way too long.

[Orange Battery]

I have a lot of experience in computing but I must admit Im still on XP. The common reply on most XP thread is that "XP needs to die" and maybe it does from Microsoft's point of view, but can you say the same for the average user who still has access to security updates and only wants to check emails and go to Facebook, Twitter etc..

I think XP gave users some really good reason to upgrade, for me it was thumbnail view of pictures and video, and the UI. Windows 7 has some great toys but nothing useful to me and as I built my current rig about 4 months before 7's release I couldn't face the whole upgrade process (Ive customised so many apps).

We are starting to see some sites advising users to upgrade their browsers to use a certain service. Very soon an XP user is going to be given the option of only Chrome or Firefox if they want the latest, and thats one user down for MS.

Personally I would have released IE9(Basic) for XP just to keep all those users. Windows 7 supports some great stuff and if your using IE9 on it then its only right you should be able to do more, but don't give customers to the competition.

Ive been an IE user since Win 95, I had FF as a backup but its only lately with new website showcases that I have had to upgrade and start using it more, I like it (and as you can tell, I hate changing software) so when I do finally upgrade to 7 or 8 will I stick with FF or go to IE again?

[sn00pie]

Kind of stupid because you can still buy new computers that are preloaded with XP...ie. alot of netbooks.

[ATLien_0]

You also have to realize that IE9 at least the beta is not even supported for Vista.

IE9 is built to take full advantage of Windows 7, making a stripped down version for Vista and XP would not be much of an upgrade now would it?

[Kpssst]

Kind of stupid because you can still buy new computers that are preloaded with XP...ie. alot of netbooks.

The great majority of netbooks now have Windows 7 Starter. There are most likely a few with XP out there, but not enough to call "a lot."

You also have to realize that IE9 at least the beta is not even supported for Vista.

IE9 is built to take full advantage of Windows 7, making a stripped down version for Vista and XP would not be much of an upgrade now would it?

You can use IE9 beta on Vista.

[Lazure]

Kind of stupid because you can still buy new computers that are preloaded with XP...ie. alot of netbooks.

Uh, not anymore you can't. End of Sale has been unleashed by Microsoft. XP is no longer sold on any new machine, anywhere.

Even netbooks will be coming with a form of Windows 7 or Linux from now on.

[ATLien_0]

The great majority of netbooks now have Windows 7 Starter. There are most likely a few with XP out there, but not enough to call "a lot."

You can use IE9 beta on Vista.

my bad, when i first checked the beta site it only had windows 7 up.

[ScorpioRGc1]

my bad, when i first checked the beta site it only had windows 7 up.

The beta works fine in Vista; there's just a feature or two that don't work in Vista...or rather, don't work the same way, such as pinning websites to the Superbar (in Vista, you can do it to the Start menu, but you still miss out on the site-specific jumplists).

[Mohitster]

Nope.

[Mazhar]

Definitely no. If you want to use latest software, you must use latest OS first. The time for XP is over now, people and businesses should upgrade now. Come on, we are heading to Windows 8 now.

[xestoon]

windows 7 is the best wow no more crash for me and now i use ie9 too it seem looks like Chrome .At the end every browser will use core of chrome i think such as Flock and firefox

and i think people who use xp because they like it than vista but win 7 good use it now .

however i think ms should make ie9 for xp too for some people that use it .

[cork1958]

Nothing at all wrong with XP as it is what got MS really going on the right track (just don't count Vista), unless you count Windows 2000, but that was never made for the general public.

The only people that will ever know IE9 doesn't run on XP are whine a**es that hang out in these type forums and for some reason don't want to upgrade their software/hardware.

Heck,

I'm running Windows 7 on some really ancient machines (7 of them) and all I had to do to make it run very well, was add a cheapo video card and a slightly better power supply in them. Most people don't have 7 computers in their house, so it wouldn't cost as much for most as it did for me.

Edit:

Didn't even see the poll question before I replied. 90% - no 10% yes. What does that tell you?

[TheNay]

I don't think MS will regret it, but a lot of XP users will run Chrome or Firefox until they upgrade giving them less market share and by the time they upgrade, they'll likely stick to what their use to.

A lot of people are still on XP (netbook users a large majority). I think they should and shouldn't have made IE9 for XP, it has it's pros and cons to it.

[Joseph B]

Of course they are going to regret it.

90% Of the offices I walk into, still use... *drum roll*

XP.

Thats not even a exaggeration. The instant it starts cutting into profits, magically a version of it will become available for XP, watch.

[Mr. Gibs]

Of course they are going to regret it.

90% Of the offices I walk into, still use... *drum roll*

XP.

Thats not even a exaggeration. The instant it starts cutting into profits, magically a version of it will become available for XP, watch.

How exactly will IE make a profit difference? It's a free product...Well you have to buy Windows to get it, but WinXP won't be sold anymore so.

[notuptome2004]

I have a lot of experience in computing but I must admit Im still on XP. The common reply on most XP thread is that "XP needs to die" and maybe it does from Microsoft's point of view, but can you say the same for the average user who still has access to security updates and only wants to check emails and go to Facebook, Twitter etc..

I think XP gave users some really good reason to upgrade, for me it was thumbnail view of pictures and video, and the UI. Windows 7 has some great toys but nothing useful to me and as I built my current rig about 4 months before 7's release I couldn't face the whole upgrade process (Ive customised so many apps).

We are starting to see some sites advising users to upgrade their browsers to use a certain service. Very soon an XP user is going to be given the option of only Chrome or Firefox if they want the latest, and thats one user down for MS.

Personally I would have released IE9(Basic) for XP just to keep all those users. Windows 7 supports some great stuff and if your using IE9 on it then its only right you should be able to do more, but don't give customers to the competition.

Ive been an IE user since Win 95, I had FF as a backup but its only lately with new website showcases that I have had to upgrade and start using it more, I like it (and as you can tell, I hate changing software) so when I do finally upgrade to 7 or 8 will I stick with FF or go to IE again?

Well then you have not used windows 7 and only assume what you see @ Face value only provides you nothing useful to you that is the problem with users like you is without even giveing it a test drive for a couple of weeks you come to the Smart Ass conclusion it offers you nothing so HTF do you know .

Windows 7 provides 1000s of upgrades over windows XP and works better then XP has more support is more secure and is optimized for your hardware better

[Joseph B]

How exactly will IE make a profit difference? It's a free product...Well you have to buy Windows to get it, but WinXP won't be sold anymore so.

Who do they market products to? Consumers.

What do consumers do? They buy Microsoft products.

What happens when they see no version for this pretty new browser they want to use, just because they use XP?

Look at the bigger picture.

[Mr. Gibs]

Who do they market products to? Consumers.

What do consumers do? They buy Microsoft products.

What happens when they see no version for this pretty new browser they want to use, just because they use XP?

Look at the bigger picture.

Yehhhhhh. I'm sure people are going to switch over to Mac or Linux because a browser won't work on XP.

There is no bigger picture. If you want to use a 8+ year old software, don't expect updates. Hell there are still tons and tons of people who use IE6, and not all of them are corporations. So I highly doubt they will give a dam, or even know, about IE9.

Hell I can simply say, oh my god crysis won't work on my PC from 2002. **** you, I'm going to go use Linux. But that just sounds absurd doesn't it?

[honda]

Im seeing someone hack a version up that works on XP...

[Lazure]

Im seeing someone hack a version up that works on XP...

That'll be quite the hack, considering the entire rendering code for the browser is done using the directwrite/direct2d API, which *REQUIRES* WDDM DRIVERS which XP CANNOT POSSIBLY have EVER EVER EVER. It's not POSSIBLE.

Even if Microsoft WANTED to release IE9 to XP, they couldn't without rewriting most of the browser's rendering engine to use the old fashioned GDI method!

[Joseph B]

Yehhhhhh. I'm sure people are going to switch over to Mac or Linux because a browser won't work on XP.

There is no bigger picture. If you want to use a 8+ year old software, don't expect updates. Hell there are still tons and tons of people who use IE6, and not all of them are corporations. So I highly doubt they will give a dam, or even know, about IE9.

Hell I can simply say, oh my god crysis won't work on my PC from 2002. **** you, I'm going to go use Linux. But that just sounds absurd doesn't it?

True. But you have to think about the people that use XP to begin with, stubborn as heck i'd imagine. Stubborn enough to not even want to do business with a company completely, just because of small things they can't have their way.

The thing you made an example of, is a completely different market of people. Did you mean it as, "Hell I can simply say, oh my god (Firefox) won't work on my PC from 2002. **** you, I'm going to go use (Chrome)." Something like that?

[bryonhowley]

I want to know why I can't use IE9 on Windows 3.11. I feel marginalized! :unsure:

As to Microsoft building XP as a solid product... not until SP2. Original XP was a mess. A lot of the same comments about Vista were made about XP.

For me XP was a solid product from Build 2600(RTM) until Vista at witch point I left XP behind.

[Mr. Gibs]

True. But you have to think about the people that use XP to begin with, stubborn as heck i'd imagine. Stubborn enough to not even want to do business with a company completely, just because of small things they can't have their way.

The thing you made an example of, is a completely different market of people. Did you mean it as, "Hell I can simply say, oh my god (Firefox) won't work on my PC from 2002. **** you, I'm going to go use (Chrome)." ?

The problem is, MS exists to earn profits. So:

1. IE9's hardware acceleration would have to be re-written. That would cost time, and money. You would then require 2 teams to update a free software

2. Windows XP sale has stopped. Which means MS won't be earning any money from XP anymore.

3. If MS kept releasing patches, updates and software for older OSes, nobody would upgrade. I mean there wouldn't be much point left.

Corporations make up the majority in terms of XP usage. Most of them are still on IE6 for various reasons. They will not be updating to IE9, pointless to even try to push it to them.

[honda]

That'll be quite the hack, considering the entire rendering code for the browser is done using the directwrite/direct2d API, which *REQUIRES* WDDM DRIVERS which XP CANNOT POSSIBLY have EVER EVER EVER. It's not POSSIBLE.

Even if Microsoft WANTED to release IE9 to XP, they couldn't without rewriting most of the browser's rendering engine to use the old fashioned GDI method!

Hey, people have ran other things (such as Halo 2) on XP...