What Is Internet Explorer?

What is Internet Explorer? Internet Explorer is a web browser, which enables a user to display and interact with the content of a webpage such as text, images, video and music. For the web browser to function properly, the user must know the Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), which is the address of the website. Internet Explorer has a very interesting history.

1. The origin Internet Explorer came from a web browser called Mosaic from the National Center for Super Computing Application (NCSA) in 1987. Mosaic was the first browser to use Graphical User Interface (GUI). Spyglass, Inc., an internet software company, licensed all technology and trademarks for Mosaic. In 1995, Spyglass licensed the source code for Mosaic to Microsoft. Hence, Internet Explorer was born. In August 1995, surfing the web became a reality when Microsoft released the Windows 95 Plus Pack Version 1.0 of Internet Explorer. In November 1995, Version 2.0 of Internet Explorer was the first cross platform that supported both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. 
2. Internet Explorer Version 3.0 browser bundled with Windows 95 operating system was cleaner and more visually attractive than previous versions. Version 3 also provided the opportunity to display the Graphic Interchange Format (.gif) and Joint Photographic Expert Group (.jpeg). In addition, the once popular Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) sound and streaming audio was available. Internet Mail and News 1.0, NetMeeting, Active Movie and HTML Layout Control were all optional components.
3. Internet Explorer Version 4.0 was released in September 1997 with Windows 98 supported Dynamic HTML (DHTML) and Outlook Express 4,  replacing the Microsoft Mail & News product released with Version 3.0. Designed to work on Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT, Internet Explorer 4.0 changed the way we viewed and used the internet with the new control over style and appearance.
4. With Internet Explorer Version 5.0, Microsoft addressed stability and performance issues and incorporated bi-directional text support. Right to left text was incorporated, a feature important to the international user. Internet Explorer 5.0 also supported Ruby Text, an Asian Text guide for correct pronunciation of words. A Windows logo appeared along with the Radio Toolbar. Other improvements included the HTML layout language and the introduction of XML (Extensible Markup Language) and XSL (Extensible Style sheet Language) support. “Compatibility Mode,” the capability to allow developers to run Internet Explorer 4.0 and Internet Explorer 5.0 side by side was supported until Version 5.5. Internet Explorer Version 5.5, bundled with Windows Millennium, also addressed internal browser issues that concentrated on the improvement of Web development features, rendering and HTML layout language. It also was the first version to ship with a standard encryption of 128 bit.
5. Version 6.0 of Internet Explorer shipped with Windows XP on August 2001. Security and privacy concerns became the focus to solve customer issues. Efforts were devoted to features such as Images Toolbar, Auto Image Resize, Print Preview and Media Bar. Internet Explorer 6.0 also added a pop-up blocker, Information Bar, improved file download and new Add-On Manager Windows XP service pack.   
6. Internet Explorer 7.0 completely redesigned the look of the browser. Tab browsing, support for protocols, new phishing protection and improvement such as "Shrink to Fit" when printing were incorporated. Internet Explorer was renamed Windows Internet Explorer, as determined by Microsoft’s re-branding of component names that are included with Windows. Version 7.0 was available as part of Windows Vista.
7. Released in 2009, Windows Internet Explorer 8.0 offered better support for web standards than previous versions. Improved support for full compliance for Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). New features included Web Slices and improved phishing filter.

References:

Young, Margaret Levine. (1999). "Internet: The Complete Reference."