Support for Internet Explorer 6 continues..

With the debut of Windows Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft wants to make sure that customers understand that support for Internet Explorer 6 will continue, based on the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy.
Under the Microsoft Support Lifecycle, Internet Explorer is supported as a component of the product with which it shipped. The support timelines for Internet Explorer will be inherited from the shipping product and its service packs. This means:
Versions of Internet Explorer that shipped as a part of the operating system will be supported with the support lifecycle of the operating system.
Updates to Internet Explorer that are shipped as a part of the operating system service packs will be supported as part of that service pack. Customers must upgrade to a supported operating system service pack to continue to receive support for Internet Explorer.

What does this mean for Internet Explorer 6?

There will be no change to how Internet Explorer 6 is supported. The following operating systems have Internet Explorer 6 installed and will follow the lifecycle of the operating system: Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.
Versions of Internet Explorer 6 that shipped as a part of the operating system or its associated service packs will continue to follow the support lifecycle of the operating system. Any updates to Internet Explorer 6 that are shipped as a part of the operating system service packs will be supported as a part of the service pack. Customers must upgrade to a supported operating system service pack to continue to receive support for Internet Explorer.
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifesupsps/#Internet_Explorer

Hi drhayden1,

Well I switched to IE7 on the first opportunity I got. And I have to say, do not regret it. Some people in firms still have to do with the old IE6, because of admin policies. For them your news is good to know. But I only use IE7 for updating purposes, and those pages that won’t launch well into other types of alternative browsers, so that is not a lot, and then IE7 is just fine. And of course I download all new patches for the IE7 that come around. Have a nice day, Dan,

polonus aka Damian

It suits me as I have been dodging the IE7 update for a while, it is a very rare occasion I use IE even for windows updates, I tend to do a manual update. My main reason for dodging it is size being on dial-up, I’m waiting on it being released on a computer magazine cover CD.

hey polonus my friend…i mostly use firefox and avant browers…just was posting the ie6 news…and some of my programs or gametap(a subscribe game service)i use do not support ie7 yet ::slight_smile:
http://www.gametap.com/home/Home
and davidr-is dial up the only thing available in your area :stuck_out_tongue:

No, the exchange is broadband enabled but there is 9KM of copper cable between me and the exchange, so they can’t guarantee a good connection at a reasonable speed. ISPs don’t consider your ability to connect you pay for a package with the magic words ‘up to’ xMB connection, so you don’t get any discount on the fact you can’t connect at xMB. I hate getting ripped off, paying for something I can’t possibly achieve, I might be able to get 256K connection but even that isn’t guaranteed.


I used IE7 beta beginning in January 2005 and even that was better than IE6. The full version of IE7 is even better. Having said that, Opera9 is my main browser. :wink:

David, I hope you can find IE7 on a magazine cd soon … just so you’ll have it if needed. :slight_smile:


I must to say that I have IE7 because it was the automatically downloaded together with the autoupdates of my Windows XP SP2. But still I don’t use it, cause my main browser is Opera 9.1, (just like Charley’s) & I lovin it.

I’m using IE7 more then FF and Opera and… IDK… WHY :o

IE7 might not load some sites right but it’s alright once you install IE7Pro :slight_smile:

Of course IE6 support from Microsoft will continue, no question about it. It’s not like IE7 upgrade is mandatory (as of today), despite its better features and security. There are still like 80% IE6 users and like 5% IE7. Continued support is definite, and only logical.

But, let me get something straight, is IE6 still being packed preinstalled into new machines … ??? Vista, very unlikely (if even it can be done), but how about new XP machines ? I feel that IE7 should take its place in being shipped now. It’s just better, and can finally match the out-of-the-box Firefox and Opera browsers (out-of-the-box because Firefox gets better with the addons, etc.).

IE7/Firefox/Opera are the browsers to be using today. Make the switches, and you’ll probably never look back :wink: !!