After ruling the web for many years then falling into an abyss it could never truly recover from, Internet Explorer is now officially being killed off by Microsoft, who will move on with a new browser under the code-name 'Project Spartan'.
The Internet Explorer logo
Despite at one point taking an 80% market share in America alone, the emergence of faster and modernised browsers saw Internet Explorer become the subject of internet mockery, with an entire generation of computer users coming to know the browser only because it was opened accidentally.
Bringing many computers to a grinding halt, it asked users upon launch if they'd like to make it their default browser, but many had moved on to the likes of Google Chrome and Firefox.
Speaking this week at Microsoft Covergence, marketing chief Chris Capossela revealed that a new name and brand are being worked on by Microsoft, explaining: "We're now researching what the new brand, or the new name, for our browser should be in Windows 10.
"We'll continue to have Internet Explorer, but we'll also have a new browser called Project Spartan, which is codenamed Project Spartan. We have to name the thing."
Some versions of Windows 10 will still see Internet Explorer exist but it will mainly be down to enterprise compatability, with Project Spartan being named separately and becoming the primary way for users of Windows 10 to access the internet.
Microsoft has in the past unsuccessfully tried to shake off the negative image given to Internet Explorer over the years with a series of amusing campaigns that mocked Internet Explorer 6. Unfortunately they didn't improve the situation and former Internet Explorer chief Dean Hachamovitch left the company in December.
Currently testing names with market research, it's unclear as to just when the company plan on unveiling the final name for the new brand.
Tagged in Microsoft