Microsoft to Auto-Upgrade Internet Explorer Users

Microsoft announced Thursday that starting next month, it will begin automatically upgrading its users to the most recent version of its Internet Explorer browser.
Customers on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 with automatic updating enabled via Windows Update will be bumped up to the latest version of IE in the coming months. For Vista and Windows 7, that's IE9, and for XP, that's IE8. The upgrades will start for customers in Brazil and Australia, and roll out gradually to the rest of the world, Microsoft said in a blog post.
If you want to upgrade at your own pace or keep your current browser, Microsoft has an IE8 and IE9 Automatic Update Blocker toolkit, which prevents automatic browser upgrades. There's also the option to block the full upgrade.
If you've declined a previous installation of IE8 or IE9 via Windows Update in the past, meanwhile, you will not receive the auto-update. There's also the option to uninstall updates and return to the browser that came with your copy of Windows. Future versions of IE will also allow an opt-out for automatic upgrading.
Why does this even matter? Basically, having an up-to-date browser is the safest way to surf the Web. Updates include security patches and fixes for bugs that might make your browser vulnerable to attacks. But many people don't take the time to update their browser or, in some cases, even realize such an option exists. That's one of the reasons why so many people are still running IE6, despite Microsoft begging for people to ditch the aging browser.
Google's Chrome provides automatic upgrades for its users, usually with regular, incremental updates. Mozilla's Firefox recently switched to a more Chrome-esque fast-release cycle, and back in May, it automatically upgraded Firefox 3.5 users to 3.6.
Microsoft, however, has stuck to its longer release cycle: IE8 made its debut in 2008, IE9 debuted earlier this year, and IE10 is currently in the works. Part of the consideration for Microsoft is its enterprise clients. In a separate blog post, Microsoft said the IE Blocker Tool will also be available to businesses.
"The IE9 Blocker Toolkit helps ensure that IE9 is introduced to PCs at the right time. This way you can still test any updates before they are pushed out to your users," Microsoft said. "For non-managed environments, this will improve safety and security of the browser experience as well as performance and standards compliance."
For more, see PCMag's full reviews of IE8, IE9, and our hands on with Internet Explorer 10 Platform Preview 1 (slideshow below).
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