ATLANTA (MEDIA GENERAL) – Is Internet Explorer joining the ranks of MySpace and Netscape? Microsoft has announced plans for a new browser with a new name. But, despite headlines around the web, Internet Explorer isn’t going away completely, at least not yet.

Microsoft marking chief Chris Capossela confirmed the company will use a new name and a new brand for its upcoming browser successor. Right now, the project is codenamed “Project Spartan.” A Microsoft spokesman told us, “Project Spartan is Microsoft’s next generation browser, built just for Windows 10.” Capossela spoke at the Microsoft Convergence conference in Atlanta Tuesday.

Capossela showed a slide during his presentation about brand research Microsoft had done. He heralded the company’s streamlining of the Microsoft brand under one name and one logo. And, he showed data indicating increased trust and loyalty by companies and individual users to the Microsoft brand name. All of which suggests a new browser could come with a Microsoft name attached to it.

Internet Explorer will still be available in some form for Windows 10. A Microsoft spokesman told us, “We will continue to make Internet Explorer available with Windows 10 for enterprises and other customers who require legacy browser support.”

Rebranding and launching a new browser is no easy task. According to Ad Week http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/death-internet-explorer-microsoft-faces-one-its-greatest-branding-challenges-163522 , Microsoft has to prove a new browser will be much better, and much faster than Internet Explorer. “It isn’t just putting lipstick on the Internet Explorer pig,” Matt Houltham, managing partner at Naked Communications told Ad Week.

The Twitterverse has had all too much fun with the news of Internet Explorer possibly going away in the future. Check out some of the best jokes.