title: Windows 8.1 / IE11 Custom URL Protocol opening to --> about:blank
body: <p>Windows 8.1 / IE 11 custom url protocols are messed up.  Upon launch, the application is executed and then the url in the browser redirects to <b>about:blank</b></p>
  
  <p>Even Skype's protocol does it:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;a href="skype:_some_skype_account_here_?chat"&gt;Chat via Skype&lt;/a&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I've tried a handful of approaches such as using an iframes, document.location.href = u; with poor results. </p>
  
  <p>This appears to work when the link is inside of an iframe, yet fails otherwise:</p>
  
  <pre><code> &lt;a href="javascript:'x();'&gt;test&lt;/a&gt;  
   document.location.href = 'proto://datadatadata';
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Anyone know how to launch the protocol's app without the browser redirecting to <b>about:blank</b>?</p>
  
  <p>I am now treating IE11 as a completely different browser: chrome, FF, safari, IE7-10 and IE11 </p>