Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2, A Warning To XP Users
Here's how it breaks down. Microsoft released IE8 Beta 1 before XP Service Pack 3 became available. Users who downloaded and installed SP3 after IE8 Beta 1 are urged by Microsoft to manually uninstall Beta 1 before upgrading to Beta 2; otherwise, neither SP3 or Beta 1 will be able to be uninstalled from your machine.
According to the Internet Explorer Blog, users who have Automatic Updates turned on will be prompted by the operating system to upgrade to Beta 2, but the update message won't explain the ramifications of putting IE8 Beta 2 on top of Beta 1 and SP3.
Personally, I think it might be a scheme orchestrated by Microsoft to retroactively add another feature to IE8. Is it too outlandish to consider that Microsoft is hedging its bets on IE8 Beta 2 by making sure Beta 1 will always be tied to a machine? And isn't it just a tad suspicious that the flaw affects Windows XP -- the very operating system that many users refuse to migrate away from in favor of Vista?
Yesterday, I wrote about InPrivate, known as "porn mode." The idea behind porn mode is to hide browsing history from other users on a machine. But with these new developments surrounding SP3 and IE Beta 2, could Microsoft have planned this all along in order to trick hapless users into surfing with some version of Internet Explorer no matter what?
"NinjaMode," as I've decided to call this covert operation by Microsoft isn't without precedent -- how many of you are reading this article on a Netscape browser?
It's also been noted that Microsoft's Internet Explorer has recently been losing some of its Web browser market share to other options like Firefox or Opera. But by slyly tethering IE8 Beta 1 to those rebellious users who refuse to update their OS from Windows XP SP3 to the clearly more advantageous Vista, Microsoft gets the last laugh.
Fortunately, NinjaMode can be avoided with a little bit of knowledge and vigilance. Windows XP SP3 users who are in the position of having IE8 Beta 1 and SP3 melded onto their machine can get step by step instructions to avoid it by visiting the Internet Explorer blog and following the given directions.
