Microsoft launches latest browser

[Charlie Kelly]

Microsoft launches latest browser

Microsoft has launched the latest version of its web browser, Internet Explorer 8 (IE8)

Microsoft says that IE8 is more secure, allows users to cut down on common tasks and will be an integral part of its forthcoming Windows 7 system.

Although IE is still the most popular browser, it faces stiff competition from Google, Firefox, Opera and others.

The release is Microsoft's first major browser update since 2006, when the company released Internet Explorer 7.

"Customers have made clear what they want in a Web browser - safety, speed and greater ease of use," said Microsoft boss, Steve Ballmer.

"With Internet Explorer 8, we are delivering a browser that gets people to the information they need, fast, and provides protection that no other browser can match."

Speaking to the BBC, Chris Green - the former editor of IT Pro - said that despite the "marketing puff" the new version of Internet Explorer was a significant improvement on previous editions.

"I've been using Internet Explorer 8 for more than six months and is vastly better than IE7, which was big on features but poor on performance.

Simple searching

Microsoft has also introduced a feature that it is calling "accelerators" which, say the company, make it easier to perform web-related tasks directly from the page by simply right-clicking a word or phrase.

Computer Active's deputy editor, Tom Royal, told the BBC that it was refreshing to see Microsoft pioneer features in a web browser rather than playing catch-up.

"The accelerated menu is something no other browser has.

"The contextual popup menus are a real step forward - for example, highlighting and right-clicking on a postcode automatically brings up Google maps.

"This has real potential and will make surfing the web much easier. I'm sure others will follow up with something similar," he added.

Microsoft has also taken a leaf out of Mozilla's book when it comes to searching.

While Firefox allows users to switch between sites like Amazon and Wikipedia, IE takes this a step further, displaying a preview of suggested searches and results appearing in a drop-down list.
Searching topics can be done with a mouse click within an existing page

The new browser can also follow news headlines and track eBay auctions, weather forecasts and blog posts with a feature the company is calling Web Slice, which is, essentially, a news ticker on the favourites bar.

Microsoft's share in the web-browser market has been steadily declining and it remains to be seen whether IE8 can reverse that trend.

"A browser is still a very personal choice," said Mr Royal.

"Some people like theirs simple and fast, while others want stuff with loads of features. IE has always been all things to all people but the perception is that it's the browser that's just there rather than the one you would choose to use.

"For now, I would avoid using the new version not because it isn't any good, it's that there are usually lots of undiscovered bugs and security flaws on any piece of new software," he added.

Link.

I'm sure the five on this board that still use IE will find this interesting...

Still I think with IE8 Microsoft can now actually compete with other browsers and I wonder if the 'Web Slices' and 'Accelerators' will catch on.

Charlie

 

[CorporalClegg]

Is it finally going to support native spell checking?

 

[Mr. B]

I don't use IE anymore but I still want to see it perform well. Competition is good for everybody.

 

[kv1at3485]

Once again, IE may be considered a modern browser. The IE8 team has worked a small, if tardy, miracle with CSS 2.1 support. Developers will be pleased, of course it'll take a while for IE7 users to migrate (to say nothing of the bunch still using IE6.)

 

[Verteron]

I don't use IE anymore but I still want to see it perform well. Competition is good for everybody.

Indeed, and more importantly, a web being viewed with standards-compliant browsers is an easier web to develop for and support.

We just have to get the troglodytes still on IE6 to upgrade to at least IE7, preferably IE8, and I'll be a happier man...

 

[Rii]

Apparently IE's market share is down to 67%.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

Is there an easy way to put an "Adblock" extension/plug-in in this new IE?

If so, I'll give it a whirl. If not, I won't even give it a chance.

 

[Ronald Held]

Why constructive reasons are there for me to migrate to IE8 from IE6?

 

[PurpleBuddha]

I'm sure the five on this board that still use IE will find this interesting...

I am not sure what you really mean by this. I realize there is a tech community that is kind of snobby toward using IE, but then there is another tech community within the people who do tech for a living and use IE everyday, myself included. I also use Chrome and Firefox, but have to return to IE often as it is the single browser that will do everything I need. I prefer the interface of Firefox and the speed and stability of Chrome, but I use IE the most, and I promise you many here are the same.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

Why constructive reasons are there for me to migrate to IE8 from IE6?

Actually the only way to really know is simply to test it for a week or so. I am a strong believer that one of the most important aspects of a program is simply how it feels to you as the user. This is especially true for a browser, as chances are that it is the primary program you use on your system. For example, if there are several features that are a constant annoyance, and cannot be turned off or changed, it may not be worth the trade off to gain additional functionality that you may not need to use. You cannot find these things out from a list of features or a set of reviews (even if you trust the reviewer). Simply test it out and then adopt it or discard it.

 

[Marc]

Nice to see that Microsoft turned around the utter dog that was the IE8 Beta that came with Windows 7.

however given Microsoft's pervesion of HTML standards to suit it's need, the biggest question is just how much will IE8 break - an issue raised by a link on Slashdot during the week.

There was another link that this could also be the last version of IE.

 

[Garrovick]

IE8 beta made me switch permanently to Linux ie Ubuntu and Firefox. Way too much computer needed to run Windows and IE8. Firefox is a very good alternative.

 

[Ronald Held]

Maybe I should just stay with IE6, for a while longer?

 

[ialfan]

double post oops

 

[ialfan]

People are still using IE6?

 

[Garrovick]

People are still using IE6?

Several people I know still use Win95 and Win98. The latest is not always the greatest.

 

[Rii]

It certainly is in the case of Windows 9x vs. NT5+.

 

[ialfan]

It certainly is in the case of Windows 9x vs. NT5+.

Indeed. If anyone is still running Win 9x they should be using Opera or Firefox or something instead of the way insecure IE6. I don't see how anyone could argue IE6 > IE7 or IE8 anyways.

 

[Brent]

well i installed IE8, I noticed it takes longer to launch now than IE7 did

it also caused one of my sidebar gadgets to now have a purple border around it, which looks annoying, it only happened after i installed ie8 and rebooted and now it won't go away

 

[Charlie Kelly]

I'm sure the five on this board that still use IE will find this interesting...

I am not sure what you really mean by this. I realize there is a tech community that is kind of snobby toward using IE, but then there is another tech community within the people who do tech for a living and use IE everyday, myself included. I also use Chrome and Firefox, but have to return to IE often as it is the single browser that will do everything I need. I prefer the interface of Firefox and the speed and stability of Chrome, but I use IE the most, and I promise you many here are the same.

I didn't mean to sound snobby, I should have written 'the five of us on this board' because I use IE as my primary browser as well. I was just making light of the fact that most on here don't use IE and some completely despise it.

Charlie