Windows users have other concerns besides using a modern browser, since most of them merely rely on legacy websites and internal systems that have not been updated. In these cases, web applications that are still in use depend on outdated standards. Therefore, Internet Explorer 11 still comes into play. Even though it is not Microsoft’s main browser any longer, it is still a part of Windows environments and is used in compatibility scenarios. One way or the other, it is beneficial for anybody who requires reliable access to the older web platforms to grasp what Internet Explorer 11 can and cannot do.
Built for Legacy Web Compatibility
When designing Internet Explorer 11, Microsoft was responding to a situation where HTML5 standards were increasingly accepted, but most of the enterprise systems were still based on older frameworks. Thus, the most outstanding feature of the browser consists of its support for a broad range of legacy web applications. They are built on the basis of older scripting engines, ActiveX controls, and proprietary Microsoft technologies.
In practical situations, IE11 is more consistent than other modern browsers when it comes to loading older intranet portals and government service websites. The reason is that many businesses have stuck with IE as their rendering engine. Thus, those environments usually require its presence. For those who have to use such systems, it is as if IE11 is not their choice of browser but rather a necessity. Besides, it was smoothly integrated with Windows security policies, allowing IT to easily control access centrally.
Familiar Interface for Traditional Windows Users
Internet Explorer 11 retains the old Windows browser style, i.e., the menu bar, address bar, tabs, and easy-to-navigate settings panels. Users who are familiar with older Windows OS versions can comfortably use the browser since it is very intuitive. Moreover, no major training is required.
Basic web tasks like logging into email portals, downloading PDFs, and filling out online forms can be done without much hassle in daily browsing. Students studying at the university where the legacy system is still in use, or people at home who want to configure their old broadband routers, find it simple. Still, the whole browsing experience is out of date when compared to that of current browsers. Besides being slower in loading script-heavy pages, it has only partial support for some of the contemporary web apps. The browser rarely comes up with problems with legacy web pages, but it does when it tries to run modern web pages.
Security and Support Realities
To some extent, Internet Explorer 11’s security level is typical of that generation. It was equipped with SmartScreen filtering, enhanced protected mode, among other features. However, the web has become so advanced that present-day browsers are now able to isolate processes more securely. They support the use of the most up-to-date encryption standards as the default, and these are also updated on a regular basis.
Microsoft’s attention is currently focused on Microsoft Edge. Thus, development of new features for IE11 has been stopped. To a great extent, it has been phased out or substituted in newer Windows versions. Usage of standalone IE in Edge browsers in enterprises is limited to IE compatibility modes.
For the typical user, it is just inconvenient to use IE11 for surfing the web. Most, if not all, of the popular websites only target modern engines. Still, the browser can continue to be used within regulated environments. However, it is advised not to be the default browser for open Internet usage.
Where Internet Explorer 11 Still Fits Today
The main reason IE 11 is still around is that it is part of a closed workflow that heavily relies on legacy software. Such companies may be working with web-based ERP systems, portals for internal use and government, and the like. Hence, what matters is that it makes the old stuff work, not what it brings to the table in terms of features and capabilities.
When students and home users hit the occasional wall on a website that calls for IE compatibility, it can perform the role of a convenient fix briefly within Windows. On the other hand, if it is about daily web surfing, watching videos online, working with cloud documents, and executing web apps. The current generation of browsers will get the job done in a much more efficient, faster, and safer manner.
At the end of the day, Internet Explorer 11 is the last of the Windows old-timers going halfway to meet the modern Internet. So it’s a good friend for backward compatibility. However, you can hardly blame the world for gradually leaving it behind when the web is evolving so fast.