In the context of this article, "doomed" means "unusable".
Internet Explorer 9 will be here most likely before the end of summer, or at the latest before the end of 2010.
There will be no offering of IE9 for XP. IE8 is the last hurrah for the Windows XP operating system.
What this means is that if you’re using XP, when IE9 is released it literally spells the true beginning of the end for XP and will end up just like Windows 2000 did. Windows 2000 only supports IE up to version 6, and you’re literally forced to use an alternative browser like Firefox, Chrome, Opera or Safari just to get anything done because popular web sites like YouTube absolutely will not support that older browser.
The release of IE9 won’t make IE8 unusable overnight, obviously. But there will be a point in the future where IE8 simply won’t be able to do what you want with it and you’ll be forced to use an alternative browser just like in Windows 2000.
If you’re wondering how long it will take before IE8 becomes obsolete, it will occur a lot faster than you probably think. IE9 supports newer HTML5 technologies, and there is a huge push right now by web developers to go that route as quickly as possible. Browsers that don’t support HTML5 will be phased out quickly.
A raw guess as to when HTML5 technologies will become more prominent is around 12 to 18 months after the release of IE9. On XP you’ll be forced to use an alternative browser just to view that content because IE8 won’t support it.
If you intend on sticking with the IE browser, you will need to upgrade to Windows 7 to use IE9 and for future versions. Otherwise you will be forced to use an alternative browser if you stay on the XP operating system.
Don’t worry, you have time – but be aware that with the introduction of IE9, the usability of IE in XP will decrease dramatically a year to 18 months after its release.
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Lance Lessler
894 days ago
It looks like my plan to hang in there with Windows XP is still viable for another 12 to 18 months. I have Windows 7 Pro on the three laptops we have in our home network, but I am still using a desktop that I built, with Windows XP on it. My plan is to wait until PCIExpress 3.0 is available on motherboards that I can afford. According to what I have gathered (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2365574,00.asp), I only have to hang in there another four to six months. I understand that PCI Express 3.0 should allow considerably faster hardware in a desktop, that otherwise would be limited by the current PCI Express standard. That way, the chances of my new desktop remaining “modern” for an extended period would be significantly increased.