Browser Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Internet explorer)

Jump to: navigation, search

Windows Internet Explorer

Version 7 running on Windows Vista.
Developed by	Microsoft
Initial release	August 1995
Latest release	7.0.5730.13 (Windows XP/Server 2003) 7.0.6001.18000 (Vista SP1/Server 2008)
Preview release	8.0.6001.18241 (IE8, Beta 2) / August 27, 2008
OS	Microsoft Windows Mac OS System 7 to OS X (discontinued) Solaris and HP-UX (discontinued) Windows 3.1 to Me (discontinued)
License	Proprietary MS-EULA
Website	microsoft.com/ie 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8

Windows Internet Explorer (formerly Microsoft Internet Explorer abbreviated MSIE), commonly abbreviated to IE, is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems starting in 1995. It has been the most widely used web browser since 1999, attaining a peak of about 95% usage share during 2002 and 2003 with IE5 and IE6 but steadily declining since, despite the introduction of IE7. Microsoft spent over 100 million dollars (USD) a year^[1] in the late 1990s, with over 1000 people working on IE by 1999.^[2]

Internet Explorer was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 in 1995. Later versions were available as free downloads, or in service packs, and included in the OEM service releases of Windows 95 and later versions of Windows. The most recent release is version 7.0, which is available as a free update for Windows XP Service Pack 2, and Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008. Internet Explorer 8 is under development and is expected to be released by the end of 2008.

Other versions available since the late 1990s include an embedded OEM version called Internet Explorer for Windows CE (IE CE) available for WinCE based platforms and is currently based on IE6. Internet Explorer for Pocket PC, later rebranded Internet Explorer Mobile for Windows Mobile was also developed, and remain in development alongside the more advanced desktop versions.