This evening was Ask the Experts time at Microsoft\u2019s BUILD conference in Anaheim, California, so I took the opportunity to ask the Internet Explorer (IE) team why the Metro-style IE does not support plugins such as Adobe Flash and even Microsoft\u2019s own Silverlight.<\/p>\n
I find it puzzling since the desktop IE in Windows 8 does support plugins, and when a page is open in Metro-style IE there is an option to open it in desktop Windows, in which case all the ActiveX controls start working.<\/p>\n
The reason I was given is that Microsoft cannot control or predict the user experience if these plugins are running. For example, a Silverlight applet might have a user interface designed for mouse and keyboard. Microsoft has built in touch gestures that work for HTML in IE but cannot do so for plugins.<\/p>\n
Once a user takes the decision to open in desktop Windows, these considerations change since desktop Windows is a mouse and keyboard environment.<\/p>\n
I expect performance was also a consideration.<\/p>\n
I was also told that Apple has made the no-plugins option viable by taking the same line in the iPad. Sites have been forced to offer iPad-friendly versions of their sites, which will also work in Windows 8 Metro.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This evening was Ask the Experts time at Microsoft\u2019s BUILD conference in Anaheim, California, so I took the opportunity to ask the Internet Explorer (IE) team why the Metro-style IE does not support plugins such as Adobe Flash and even Microsoft\u2019s own Silverlight. I find it puzzling since the desktop IE in Windows 8 does … Continue reading No plugins in Metro-style IE, and here is why<\/span>