The biggest problem that internet explorer has suffered from is "Feature Creep".

In theory a web browser should be more like a secure "tarpit" or a "sandbox", with the ability to interact and use websites, but keep those websites from interacting with system objects.

While features like: the ability to update an operating system from within a browser, intergration of the web browser directly into the operating system and the ability to use system level VBscript in the browser, may seem like excellent ideas, but they really aren't.

Personally, I think that Internet Explorer can be saved. But, it would require a complete re-think and re-write on microsofts part. Some things they could do to resurrect Internet Explorer:

1. Seperate WindowsUpdate into a dedicated, on-demand pull client like Symantec's LiveUpdate.

2. Seperate the browser from the operating system, give it it's own memory space and remove the file system objects entirely (in otherwords sandbox it). Re-think the API.

3. Seperate ActiveDesktop and Explorers features from the Web Browser.

4. Remove VBScript and do what the rest of the world is doing, use the W3 standards (XHTML, HTML, CSS, DHTML, EcmaScript, etc).

The alternative: WE DON'T USE INTERNET EXPLORER.

[ reply ]

Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/columns/251/27198#27198