Last week, the German Government warned the users of Microsoft’s browser Internet Explorer that it’s unsecure and people should be using other browsers instead. Then, France joined the call and today also Australia. Bear in mind that it’s not bloggers, hackers or even private companies, but governments!

The problem is that Internet Explorer contains a serious security flaw that could be exploited by hackers. Cybercriminals already exploited the flaw, hacking into the e-mail accounts of human rights activists in China, especially the accounts of Google’s Gmail users. That was partly the reason why Google last week theatened to close down their business in China and leave the country entirely.

Microsoft, naturally, while admitting that there indeed was a flaw in Internet Explorer, are now saying that the problem is only with IE 6, but not with IE 7 or 8. Which, according to some security experts, is not true.

But I won’t get into the complicated technical details here. What I am amazed about is the amount of people who still voluntarily use Internet Explorer as their primary browser. I know, there are millions of companies around the world who make their employees to use the IE and forbid installing other browsers (I’ve worked in one in the past), but those companies also secure their own networks quite profoundly. However, there are still people who use the IE at home or when their employers are not forcing them to. To what end?

What is the main problem with IE for me is that it’s produced by a company that’s browser division doesn’t have a slightest idea of usability (I know, I’ve said some good things about Windows 7 and I stand by my previous statements, the browser division is, however, another matter). IE is just incredibly uncomfortable to use. It’s clunky, slow, tries to give you too many options that you would never need, it misrenders many websites mainly because it’s incapable of understanding some simple CSS (that other browsers don’t have problems with), etc etc etc. Why does one voluntarily take such a burden on one’s shoulders is beyond me.

There are many alternatives to Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome being the most known ones. Installing another browser is easy and using it, as said, much easier than IE. Is it really about the bother, the extra activity?

The European Union and Microsoft agreed last year that Windows 7, when sold in Europe, will include the option to install other browsers right during the setup of the operating system. Perhaps that now will reduce the users of IE? One can hope.

But the whole jumping up and down in recent days about the IE is totally pointless. People who are aware of the fact that IE is unsafe, like the governments of France, Germany and Australia say, don’t use it anyway and haven’t used it since the dark days. And neither do people who realise how uncomfortable and slow IE is.

People who are forced to use IE by their employers, better hope that the companies’ network security is strong enough to fend off potential hackers who could exploit the IE’s flaws. And people who despite everything use the IE voluntarily will not change their habits because they simply don’t care. Until they start caring by learning it the hard way.

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