Windows Users Prepare for Automatic IE8 Update
Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) has already been pushed to IE8 Beta and RC1 users through Windows Automatic Updates, and now the Redmond software developer is announcing that the same process will be applied to users running previous versions of the browser on their machines. If you have Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) or Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) installed on your XP, Vista, Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 operating system, prepare to be upgraded to IE8 automatically.
“Last week, we released IE8 via Automatic Update to users still running pre-release versions of IE8 (Beta 2 or Release Candidate 1). The goal was to make sure users who chose to install IE8 have the latest up-to-date version. Starting on or about the third week of April, users still running IE6 or IE7 on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008 will get will get a notification through Automatic Update about IE8. This rollout will start with a narrow audience and expand over time to the entire user base. On Windows XP and Server 2003, the update will be High-Priority. On Windows Vista and Server 2008 it will be Important,” explains Lead Program Manager, Eric Hebenstreit.
It must be said that if you do not want to upgrade to IE8, you need not install the software version on your machine. You will be prompted and asked whether you want to install IE8 on your machine or not; the software will be automatically downloaded, but it will not be automatically installed. It makes sense that Microsoft would provide this option since we already know that Windows 7 RC (Release Candidate) features the option to turn off multiple OS features, including IE8 (details here).
In related news, it must be said that on April 14th Microsoft will address a total of 8 security bulletins as part of the Patch Tuesday program; 5 of bulletins have been reated by the software developer as critical and allow for remote code execution (details here).
“Last week, we released IE8 via Automatic Update to users still running pre-release versions of IE8 (Beta 2 or Release Candidate 1). The goal was to make sure users who chose to install IE8 have the latest up-to-date version. Starting on or about the third week of April, users still running IE6 or IE7 on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008 will get will get a notification through Automatic Update about IE8. This rollout will start with a narrow audience and expand over time to the entire user base. On Windows XP and Server 2003, the update will be High-Priority. On Windows Vista and Server 2008 it will be Important,” explains Lead Program Manager, Eric Hebenstreit.
It must be said that if you do not want to upgrade to IE8, you need not install the software version on your machine. You will be prompted and asked whether you want to install IE8 on your machine or not; the software will be automatically downloaded, but it will not be automatically installed. It makes sense that Microsoft would provide this option since we already know that Windows 7 RC (Release Candidate) features the option to turn off multiple OS features, including IE8 (details here).
In related news, it must be said that on April 14th Microsoft will address a total of 8 security bulletins as part of the Patch Tuesday program; 5 of bulletins have been reated by the software developer as critical and allow for remote code execution (details here).
