If you didn’t know, there are reasons why some businesses stick to Internet Explorer 6. Not many, we admit, but they do exist. Top on the list is that certain web applications that enterprise companies use require IE6 to run.
Why those apps have not been updated to support browsers built after the Fall of Rome is beyond us, but the fact remains that many companies are stuck using IE6. And as you well know, IE6 is not compatible with Windows 7.
This leaves businesses trapped either hacking around to get IE6 to work on newer versions of Windows, or living in the world of XP because they need to use IE6 on a daily basis. But what if there was a way to use Windows 7, and Internet Explorer 8, and still run the IE6 apps that a company needs?
Enter UniBrows, a new product from Browsium that was built to provide that exact solution. Before we look into the app, please note that it is for enterprise level companies only and is not cheap. At all.
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UniBrows is a browser add-on for Internet Explorer 8 that allows web applications that require IE6 to run inside an IE8 tab. Not only would this move allow a company to move to a more secure browser, but it would also allow them to move to Windows 7 without a hitch. If you are a real tech head, UniBrows also allows for “granular control over ActiveX controls and registry settings for all web apps.”
Microsoft is currently in the process of pushing Internet Explorer 6 out of the window for good, even launching a site to track the death of the browser.
Let’s go back to cost, as that is one of the more interesting elements of UniBrows. The add on costs a base $5,000 a year for a company, and $5 per user per year, so it’s not cheap. We have all become very accustomed to having browser add-ons be low-cost at a minimum, if not free. UniBrows is the enterprise version of cheap: expensive.
What impact will this have on Windows 7 uptake? It will likely add an ounce more momentum behind the already strong uptake of Windows 7.
UniBrows is out now, so if you are an enterprise looking to drop IE6 like it’s hot, it might be for you.
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