Microsoft is deprecating VBScript in Windows
Microsoft has quietly announced plans to deprecate VBScript in "future releases of Windows". The company has not been more specific about the timeline than this, but there are some details about the deprecation process.
As part of a phased withdrawal, VBScript (Visual Basic Scripting Edition) was initially removed from Internet Explorer, and before being killed off in Windows completely, it will become an optional component. While a useful scripting language in its day, VBScript became something of an abused security nightmare, and has since been replaced by PowerShell.
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The loss of VBScript is just the latest in a growing list of tools and features being given the chop by Microsoft. Other recent victims include the ancient TLS 1.0 and 1.1, the little-loved WordPad and Cortana.
Explaining the thinking behind the killing off of tools and options that some people may still be using, Microsoft says that "new versions [of Windows] also remove features and functionality, often because they've added a newer option".
In a support document about deprecated features, Microsoft added the following update:
VBScript will be available as a feature on demand before being retired in future Windows releases. Initially, the VBScript feature on demand will be preinstalled to allow for uninterrupted use while you prepare for the retirement of VBScript.
With VBScript having fallen out of favor with many administrators, it's not clear how many users are likely to be affected by the deprecation of this feature. As there are other more secure and feature-packed alternatives available, however, it is a move that makes a great deal of sense.
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