How to install Internet Explorer on Linux using ies4linux

Internet Explorer was originally developed for Windows, meaning it cannot be installed directly on Linux systems. However, it is possible to use workarounds to run it on Linux. One method is through wine, a program that allows Windows applications to run on Linux. This provides a more direct solution than setting up a full Windows virtual machine.

ies4linux is a tool that simplifies the installation of Internet Explorer using wine. It automates the process, allowing different versions of Internet Explorer to run on Linux distributions like Ubuntu. This method is particularly useful for users who need to run or test web applications that require Internet Explorer.

This approach allows for a lightweight and efficient setup. Instead of running an entire Windows operating system in a virtual machine, ies4linux lets you use wine to quickly install and use specific versions of Internet Explorer. Follow the steps below to install Internet Explorer on your Linux system.

1. Open your terminal.
2. Install wine and cabextract.

   $ sudo apt update && sudo apt install --assume-yes wine cabextract

   This will ensure that the necessary dependencies are installed for running Internet Explorer on Linux.

3. Download the ies4linux installer script.

   $ wget http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/downloads/ies4linux-latest.tar.gz
   --2019-08-27 16:08:05--  http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/downloads/ies4linux-latest.tar.gz
   Resolving www.tatanka.com.br (www.tatanka.com.br)... 69.163.217.24
   Connecting to www.tatanka.com.br (www.tatanka.com.br)|69.163.217.24|:80... connected.
   HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
   Length: 332341 (325K) [application/gzip]
   Saving to: `ies4linux-latest.tar.gz'
   
   100%[======================================>] 332,341      277K/s   in 1.2s
   
   2019-08-27 16:08:07 (277 KB/s) - `ies4linux-latest.tar.gz' saved [332341/332341]

   The script automates the process of installing Internet Explorer using wine.

4. Extract the installer script.

   $ tar -xf ies4linux-latest.tar.gz

5. Run the installer script and follow the provided instructions.

   $ ies4linux-*/ies4linux

   This command will start the installation process. Follow the on-screen prompts to continue.

   Other options for installer:

   $ ies4linux-*/ies4linux --full-help
   Usage: ./ies4linux [OPTIONS]
   
   This script downloads and automatically installs multiple versions of
   Microsoft Internet Explorer on Wine.
   
   Without any option, IEs4Linux will:
   - install IE6
   - install Adobe Flash 9
   - create icons on Desktop and Menu
   - use folder: /home/user/.ies4linux
   
   You can configure other things:
   
   --install-ie55         Install IE5.5 in BASEDIR/ie55/
   --install-ie5          Install IE5 in BASEDIR/ie5/
   
   --install-corefonts    Install MS Core Fonts (corefonts.sf.net)
   
   --no-flash             Don't install Adobe Flash Player 9
   --no-ie6               Don't install IE 6
   
   --no-desktop-icon      Don't create an icon in Desktop
   --no-menu-icon         Don't insert icon on Menu
   
   --full-help            Display all possible options
   
   Configurations:
   
   --locale LOCALE        The locale for the installation [EN-US]
   --wget-flags FLAGS     Extra flags for wget [-c ]
   --list-locales         Display all possible locales and exit
   
   Directories:
   
   --basedir BASEDIR      Base location for installs [/home/user/.ies4linux]
   --bindir BINDIR        Location of your bin folder [/home/user/bin]
   --downloaddir DLDIR    Where downloads will go [BASEDIR/downloads]
   
   Other options:
   
   --no-gui               Don't show gui, perform an automatic installation
   --gui gtk|kommander    Force use of a specific user interface
   --no-color             Don't show colors
   --debug                Run in DEBUG mode
   --help / -h            Display help with simple options
   
   Beta options:
   
   --beta-install-ie7    Install Internet Explorer 7 (BETA INSTALLER!)
   
   IEs4Linux can do other useful (?!) things:
   
   --install-ie1         Install IE 1.0
   --install-ie15        Install IE 1.5
   --install-ie2         Install IE 2.0

6. Select the Internet Explorer versions you want to install.

   You will have the option to choose versions such as IE5, IE6, or even IE7.

7. Configure advanced options if needed.
8. Launch Internet Explorer from the appropriate script in your ~/bin folder.

   $ ~/bin/ie6

   Depending on the versions installed, you may have launch scripts for IE5 and IE7 as well.