I can’t believe someone in South Korea went to the trouble of commissioning a tombstone for Internet Explorer just so they could kill it a second time with the most vicious roast you’ll ever see pic.twitter.com/5xpePtoPkN
— Cian Maher (@cianmaher0) June 17, 2022
Microsoft discontinued its support for the iconic (and often begrudged) Internet Explorer (IE) on June 10, 2022. Just shy of its 27th birthday, this means that it’s effectively the end of software updates for most users. Windows 11, the company’s latest operating system, doesn’t even include an IE desktop app. The end of the browser might be a surprise to those who stopped using it when Chrome or Safari took off—they thought IE was already gone—but at least one person is commemorating the “death” of Internet Explorer. South Korean software engineer Jung Ki-young marked the end with a headstone for the browser.
Jung spent 430,000 won (about $330) to design and obtain the grave marker. It features the IE logo along with an English engraving that reads, “He was a good tool to download other browsers.” The memorial is at a cafe run by Jung’s brother in Gyeongju, South Korea, but its reach has gone far beyond there; the funny photo has gone viral.
So, why get a tombstone at all? For Jung, it represents his “mixed feelings” toward the browser, as it has played a big role in his professional life. “It was a pain in the ass,” he explained, “but I would call it a love-hate relationship because Explorer itself once dominated an era.”
Jung would have to test websites and apps on Internet Explorer to make sure they were compatible with the software. This proved more time-consuming than with other browsers, which was a nuisance—but also necessary, as it remained the default browser for South Korean government offices and some banks.
The virality of Jung’s stunt has given him a second instance to appreciate IE. “That’s another reason for me to thank the Explorer, it has now allowed me to make a world-class joke,” he remarked. “I regret that it’s gone, but won’t miss it. So its retirement, to me, is a good death.”
South Korean software engineer Jung Ki-young marked the end of the Internet Explorer browser by creating a fitting headstone.
Someone built a real tombstone of Internet Explorer in Korea. “He was a good tool to download other browsers.” https://t.co/42vnkoQshd pic.twitter.com/ud3SMiyLNp
— Soonson Kwon (@ksoonson) June 15, 2022
This is not the first time a piece of software had a funeral. Apple made a coffin for the “death” of Mac OS 9.
h/t: [Engadget]
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