Microsoft is ending support for Internet Explorer 8, 9 and 10 next week

You have until Tuesday to get on 11 or Edge

Microsoft has set 12 January 2016 as the date when Internet Explorer versions 8, 9 and 10 will longer receive security, compatibility and other technical support.

Internet Explorer 11, which Microsoft has called "the last version of Internet Explorer", will continue to be supported until an undisclosed date, but it seems obvious that - just as Microsoft is keen for Windows users to upgrade to Windows 10 - the company would also like you to start using Edge.

Internet Explorer versions 8, 9 and 10 will be subject to one last parting shot from Microsoft, in the form of a patch that will constantly encourage users to upgrade to a newer browser.

Microsoft's advice for the enterprise is glib at best, with large enterprises offered migration and deployment options by "contacting your Microsoft sales representative" or a certified partner. Upgrading to Windows 10 and using the Edge browser that comes with it seems to be the approach the company is pushing.

Meanwhile SMBs "without web applications" are advised to use automatic updates to ensure their browser is still supported, while those with web applications are told to talk to a certified sales partner to "understand the best options to meet their business needs".

Legacy web applications are notorious for causing headaches with forced browser upgrades, and removing support for three browsers in one fell swoop could pose significant problems to some SMBs.

Microsoft does, however, promise that Internet Explorer 11 will continue to sport legacy compatibility modes:

"As some commercial customers have standardised on earlier versions of Internet Explorer, Microsoft is introducing new features and resources to help customers upgrade and stay current on the latest browser. For example, Enterprise Mode enables the use of legacy web apps with Internet Explorer 11".

Microsoft is obviously keen to get its customers to move to Edge, but caution is urged over making the full upgrade to Edge as support for legacy web apps may not be complete.

Computing is still unsure of Edge's effectiveness as a fully-functioned web browser. While the software has definitely improved since launch (see our scathing comments at the time) daily use of the browser on several machines of different specifications is still revealing significant flaws such as persistent hanging and "recovery" prompts for individual tabs, strange bugs that keep reverting the default search engine back to Bing, and a general sluggishness on lower-end systems, with Edge using a large amount of system RAM even when idling with only one tab open.