(PRWEB) January 26, 2015
The desktop notifications alert software DeskAlerts has announced today that it will end support for Internet Explorer 8. From March 2015, it will no longer test or fix features and bugs found in Internet Explorer 8.
The news from DeskAlerts follows an earlier than expected announcement from Microsoft itself that it would also be ending support for its Internet Explorer 8 browser. In explaining its decision, Microsoft said, “After Jan. 12, 2016, only the most recent version of Internet Explorer available for a supported operating system will receive technical support and security updates. For example, customers using Internet Explorer 8, Internet Explorer 9, or Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 7 SP1 should migrate to Internet Explorer 11 to continue receiving security updates and technical support.”
An early end to support from the browser creators has prompted DeskAlerts to also make the move to end-of-life transitioning for IE8 support. The reason for this as DeskAlerts spokesman Anton Vdovin explains, is to keep its users safe. He said, “With the imminent end of Microsoft support for IE8, users of this browser will become more vulnerable to security flaws and hacks. The browser version won’t be maintained to fix bugs and holes so user data will potentially be much more vulnerable. Because of this, we also plan to end support for IE 8.”
The end of Microsoft support for Internet Explorer 8 has pushed up the DeskAlerts timetable. My Vdovin adds, “Microsoft surprised many when they announced the end to IE 8 support. Its user base was growing at a rapid rate and some experts calculated that it was used by as many as 10% more users than Internet Explorer 11 and was growing at a much faster rate. Nevertheless, we have been prepared for this and urge our customers who are still running an old version of Internet Exlorer to upgrade to the latest version as soon as is convenient. This is an important step for security but also for the user experience – as support for IE 8 ends, users are more vulnerable to hacking and viruses and apps and other programmes will gradually start to become incompatible which will be frustrating and time consuming for the user.”
DeskAlerts will stop fixing IE 8 bugs in March which means DeskAlerts users logging in to their control panel from this browser should follow Microsoft advice and switch up to the latest version of the browser. The newer generations of Internet Explorer offer a similar experience to 8 for those reluctant to swap their preferred browser for something like Chrome or Firefox, but offer a faster and more secure experience when logged on to the web.
For users signing in to DeskAlerts to manage and send corporate communications, upgrading to the very latest version of Explorer (11) is recommended. The DeskAlerts team actively test for problems on the platform, fixing bugs and features to ensure a seamless experience when sending out desktop alerts. No other functionality or security will be affected by the decision to end support for Internet Explorer 8.
The internal communications solution works with all major browsers, including Opera, Safari and Chrome. It maintains a rigorous testing and security process, allowing subscribers to send desktop notifications quickly and securely from anywhere in the world.
The latest announcement regarding Internet Explorer is just one of a host of security-focused product development and product advancements to come out of DeskAlerts HQ already this year. It follows hot on the heels of last week’s other security-focused announcement that revealed the roll out of a new Active Directory authentication feature for a single sign on (SSO) experience. This feature removes the need for users to remember multiple passwords for DeskAlert log ons. The intention is to reduce password reset requests and remove the need to write passwords down, a method many employees resort to to remember different access codes for different systems – a potential security nightmare for large corporations.
More recent version of Internet Explorer will not be affected by the end of support for IE 8 and the Desk Alerts team will continue to test and fix features and bugs in newer versions of the browser.
To find out more about DeskAlerts and how it makes corporate communications easier, smarter and more convenient than ever before, visit the website at: http://www.alert-software.com
About DeskAlerts: DeskAlerts is the alert software that works in technologically and geographically diverse networks. It is a completely web-based solution that can be used to send desktop alerts and news updates to any employee within your organization, improving internal communications and productivity with a more efficient communication strategy than traditional email alone. View the DeskAlerts video to find out more.