Lines have been drawn
Some changes are coming to the way Microsoft's Project Spartan and Internet Explorer browsers will handle the web once Windows 10 ships. As originally conceived, both browsers would use the new rendering engine built for Project Spartan, and both would be capable of switching back to the legacy Trident engine to load certain sites that use dated technologies, and also to ensure compatibility among specific enterprise sites. Not anymore.
In a blog post this week, Microsoft said it decided against its original browser strategy after taking into considering "strong feedback" from its Windows Insiders and customers. So instead of sharing engines on Windows 10, Project Spartan will exclusively use the new engine, while IE11 will stay unchanged from Windows 8.1, using just the legacy Trident engine.
"We feel this change simplifies the role of each browser. Project Spartan is our future: it is the default browser for all Windows 10 customers and will provide unique user experiences including the ability to annotate on web pages, a distraction-free reading experience, and integration of Cortana for finding and doing things online faster," Microsoft said. "Web developers can expect Project Spartan’s new engine to be interoperable with the modern Web and remain 'evergreen' with no document modes or compatibility views introduced going forward."
This should make things easier on users in deciding on what kind of experience they want -- Project Spartan will have all the bells and whistles for a modern web (Cortana integration, annotations, reader modes, etc), while IE11 will support legacy sites and technologies. And by clearly separating the two browsers, Microsoft can focus on its vision for Project Spartan as the web evolves without juggling multiple engines.
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