Microsoft will begin pushing Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) to users running the older IE6 and IE7 browsers this week, the company has announced.
Although people running earlier versions of IE8 have been seeing upgrade offers since Microsoft released the final code last month, only now is the company getting around to posting the new browser on Windows Update.
[ See how the browsers fared in InfoWorld's challenge: "Lab test: Google Chrome vs. Internet Explorer 8." | Is IE8 the end of the line for Internet Explorer? | How secure is Internet Explorer? ]
"Starting on or about the third week of April, users still running IE6 or IE7 on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008 will get a notification through Automatic Update about IE8," said Eric Hebenstreit, a lead program manager on the IE8 team, in an entry to a company blog.
Microsoft plans to ramp up the offer over time, so not all IE8 and IE7 users will see the pitch immediately.
Unlike other updates, which can download and install automatically per the user's settings, IE8 may download to the PC -- but it requires the user's consent to install.
As Microsoft did when it issued IE7 in 2006, the company will let users reject or delay the installation. Before IE8 begins to install, users will see a splash screen that gives them three choices: "Ask me later," "Install," and "Don't install." Users who pick the first option will be offered IE8 the next time that the PC conducts an update scan.
In January, Microsoft not only spelled out the IE8 upgrade offer, but also released a toolkit for IT administrators who want to block the new browser from reaching machines on their networks. The toolkit, which is still available from Microsoft's site, can stymie IE8 indefinitely.
The toolkit will have no affect on machines that pull Microsoft's updates via Windows Service Update Services (WSUS) or Systems Management Server (SMS), however. If Update Rollups are configured for automatic installation on WSUS, for example, IE8 will automatically install throughout the organization. Hebenstreit said that the browser will be fed to WSUS and SMS in July.
Users who don't want to wait for Windows Update to offer IE8 can manually download the browser.
According to Web metrics vendor Net Applications Inc., IE8's market share last week was 3.7 percent, up from 3.3 percent the week before and 2.7 percent two weeks ago.
Get the independent advice and expertise you need to support a virtual workforce.
The increase in Linux popularity has increased the frequency and sophistication of malware attacks. Read this 2 page white paper now to learn how you can protect your Linux environment with real-time protection that is certified by all major Linux vendors.
Download now »
Ensuring acceptable application delivery will become even more difficult over the next few years. As a result, IT organizations need to ensure that the approach that they take to resolving the current application delivery challenges can scale to support the emerging challenges. This handbook elaborates on the key tasks associated with planning, optimization, management and control and provides decision criteria to help IT organizations choose appropriate solutions.
Download now »
A common misconception is that mid-range storage requirements are dramatically different than that of a larger enterprise. Mid-range storage users may require less capacity, but they have similar functionality and management requirements. This ESG paper examines mid-range storage needs and reviews a new solution that adjusts size while retaining value, performance and functionality.
Download now »
Sign up to receive InfoWorld Resource Alerts
Like any valuable resource, IT is a terrible thing to waste. But by applying the same lean techniques that have been used to streamline manufacturing processes, IT departments can reduce costs, improve performance and better manage resources.
Download now! »
Stephen Elliot, vice president of strategy for CA's Infrastructure Management and Data Center Automation business unit, explains why difficult economic times drive the need for simplified management capabilities and advanced automation tools.
Listen now! »
According to a recent study CA conducted with 300 CIOs and top IT executives, 64 percent of respondents say they've already invested in virtualization, and the other 36 percent reported that they plan to invest in virtualization.
Download now! »
In this video learn about process automation in a virtualized world. How CA and VMware are enabling enterprise datacenter automation.
View now! »
9 Recommendations
