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Internet Explorer

The 32-bit version of Microsoft's popular web browser

5.1

104 Votes

  • Category Web browsers
  • Program license Free
  • Version 11.0.0.4
  • Size 18.01 MB
  • Works under: Windows 8
  • Program available in English
  • Program by Microsoft

Internet Explorer 9 for 32-bit Windows Vista is a legacy web browser that's designed to be compatible with a wide range of older computers. As a result, it works with flash and many other common web technologies that have been phased out of 64-bit browsers. While it won't work with update packages or plugins from more recent versions of the suite, IE9 does come with a number of sophisticated features that should make it relatively easy to use.

Admittedly, IE9 shouldn't normally get deployed in production environments. It may not be safe to use in many circumstances, since it lacks support for the kinds of encryption protocols used by a majority of sites these however. However, it may be useful for those attempting to work with older hardware. The configuration choices should be more than enough to help these users get up and running with it.

For instance, IE9 allows netizens to pin sites up on a masthead for future reference. They can also access a more traditional favorites menu if they prefer. Security-enabled download manager shelves can help to pause a download if it's taking too long. They may also be able to inform users if files contain anything that would allow them to execute arbitrary code outside of the browser.

The new tab page will normally show whatever sites get visited most often, which helps to make IE9's feature set at least somewhat competitive with more recent browsers. Though the rendering engine can't work with some newer types of HTML, it does come with the fast Chakra JavaScript engine. That should help to reduce the load times of pages that feature a lot of action on them. Plain HTML will render nearly instantly provided that the network isn't being held back by packet loss.

Enhanced tabs should prove to be the most popular feature with most users. These are always shown next to the URL bar, though users can reposition them to a separate row if they really like the look of IE8. Tabs can be torn off into other IE windows or positioned off in their own segments. Computers that support the Windows Aero architecture should find that this feature integrates with it quite well. Compact user interface elements are even offered as an option for those who find that the default configuration looks busy or takes up too much screen real estate.

This is particularly useful for those with small resolution displays, which might very well be the target audience these days. Retrocomputing enthusiasts will very likely be among those most likely to turn to the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer 9. It's a period-accurate piece of software that can help to ensure older computers are capable of dealing with the stress of modern sites.

Pros

  • Works with flash
  • Supports 32-bit PCs
  • Compliant with many sites
  • Let's users pin sites to a masthead

Cons

  • Lacks automatic updates
  • May be insecure
  • No support for modern plugins
Top 6 Internet Explorer Alternatives

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Google Chrome (64-bit)  106.0.5249.119

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