Microsoft to Push IE7 to Desktops Feb 12

Written on January 24, 2008  |  by RP Mickler  |  Leave a Comment  | 

InfoWorld is reporting that Microsoft will push IE 7 to public desktops via WindowsUpdate next month (February 12), regardless of whether or not it had been previously requested by the user. Microsoft is rolling out IE7 to all desktops as a response to mounting security fears.

In order to reach the broadest of applicability, IE7′s Genuine Advantage Program prerequisite will be dropped for the installation; all WindowsXP machines will attempt to upgrade.

Microsoft has released an administrative toolkit to block the automatic distribution.

In my opinion, the small and mid-range business should have already adopted IE7 for its protected mode functions and anti-phishing/ad blocking solutions. Mandatory adoption may be impractical for companies who’ve been asked by their vendors not to upgrade from IE6 to accomodate their software (Sage’s MAS90 4.1 comes to mind, to accomodate their HTML help files), and may wish to consider – for example – the risk of continued exposure to the benefit of a help file, and push their vendors to accomodate.

February 13 will probably be a fun period for small businesses – and that’s tongue-in-cheek – as users who’re not familiar with IE7′s interface will have it pushed upon them. Luckily, you read my column, and may remember my instructions on how to bring IE7′s interface into a compatability state with IE6, to lower the learning curve.

R