Last month, for the first time ever, Internet Explorer 8 usage on the Lane website (www.lanecc.edu) slipped below 3% overall. Normally, we discontinue support for a browser when it dips below 5%. But IE8, as the most recent version of the default web browser supplied with Windows XP, got a special exception.
But, unfortunately, supporting Internet Explorer 8 requires a disproportionate amount of time, and since that usage continues to fall, we’re making the decision to no longer actively develop webpages for IE8.
We will not be removing any existing support, so the Lane website should continue to look mostly ok in IE8 for some time. But, eventually, it will start to break. For that reason, we recommend you use a more recent browser that does work on Windows XP, such as Firefox, Chrome, or Opera.
Of course, if you are stuck using Windows XP, we also recommend that you consider replacing or upgrading your PC as soon as possible. Microsoft will be discontinuing support for Windows XP this year, meaning it will soon no longer be receiving security updates.
Lastly, there are a couple of applications on campus where the recommended browser is IE8 – notably Banner. If that sounds like you, have no fear! You can continue to use IE8 to access Banner. But you should use one of the other browsers – like Firefox or Chrome – for all of your other web browsing needs.