IEs4Linux

IEs4Linux was a free, open-source tool designed to allow users of Linux and other Unix-like operating systems to install and run multiple versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer. It accomplished this by using Wine, a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications on Unix-like systems. IEs4Linux essentially automated the process of downloading, configuring, and installing specific versions of Internet Explorer within Wine.

The primary goal of IEs4Linux was to provide web developers with a convenient way to test their websites in different versions of Internet Explorer without requiring a native Windows installation or virtualization software like VMware or VirtualBox. This was crucial because Internet Explorer often rendered web pages differently than other browsers, and web developers needed to ensure compatibility across platforms.

IEs4Linux supported multiple versions of Internet Explorer, including IE5, IE5.5, IE6, IE7, and IE8 (although support for IE8 was sometimes limited or required manual configuration). Users could install multiple versions concurrently, allowing them to easily switch between them for testing purposes.

The tool was relatively simple to use. It typically involved downloading and executing a shell script that would handle the entire installation process automatically. It would download the necessary Internet Explorer installation files, configure Wine, and create desktop icons or menu entries for launching the various IE versions.

However, IEs4Linux is now largely obsolete. Newer versions of Wine provide improved support for Internet Explorer without the need for specialized tools. Additionally, modern web development practices often emphasize cross-browser compatibility through the use of standardized technologies and responsive design, reducing the reliance on testing with legacy browsers like older versions of Internet Explorer. Furthermore, Microsoft has ended support for many of these older Internet Explorer versions, rendering testing with them less relevant for most web developers. Modern alternatives for browser testing include using virtual machines with different operating systems and browsers, online browser testing platforms, and browser developer tools that allow for emulating different browser versions and rendering engines.