The Fire Ant Gazette - A Midland, Texas Blog

Standing Up For IE 7
Category: Internet...
Posted Friday, October 20, 2006 at 04:21 PM [GMT-6]

The new version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer is now available for downloading and the consensus seems to be that it's a big step forward, at least compared to its Microsoft ancestors.

Many of the new features in IE 7 are simply "catch-ups" to what its competitors -- primarily Firefox and Safari -- have had for a while, things that many of us now take for granted, like tabbed browsing, competent security, and good adherence to website coding standards. The latter, in particular, is welcome news for us web design folks as it means that we can start treating IE like any other civilized browser and -- eventually -- stop kludging code to make it play well with our sites. (The reality is, of course, that it will be years before IE 7 displaces its predecessors. The irony is, of course, that those kludges that made sites work with IE 6 and previous versions may now break with IE 7. I'm just glad that I never coded exclusively for IE.)

However, some folks are claiming disappointment over Microsoft's apparent lack of imagination in browser design, feeling that it should have done more. The Wall Street Journal's technology editor, Walter Mossberg, says this in yesterday's edition: The new Internet Explorer is a solid upgrade, but it's disappointing that after five years, the best Microsoft could do was to mostly catch up to smaller competitors.

Hang onto your seats, because I'm about to do something unusual: defend Microsoft. I wish Walter had provided some examples of features that would have wowed him (he did note that the next upgrade of Firefox would feature spell-checking and state recovery -- allowing you to pick up where you left off after a crash [biting my tongue]). Even so, I think it's much ado over nothing. Bells and whistles are OK, I suppose, but a browser that's secure, renders sites like they were designed, and has a few features that make surfing the Web a more efficient process is really all that most people want. If IE 7 has achieved those goals, I'm more than happy for Microsoft and Windows users who want or have to stay with the browser.

Permalink

Comments

I'm probably one of those who will play around with IE 7 for a few minutes, test th efeatures, and then go back to me beloved Firefox. :)

Posted by: Stephen Shores at October 22, 2006 07:52 AM

Eric, are you OK, over there? Boosting microsoft.

Posted by: Wallace-Midland, Texas at October 22, 2006 10:26 AM

Stephen, it's easy for me to ignore IE 7, since it doesn't come in a Mac flavor.

Wallace, see the preceding comment. I can afford to be magnanimous since the browser is irrelevant for my purposes. (Other than its compliance with web coding standards, which I applaud.)

Posted by: Eric at October 22, 2006 11:26 AM

*sigh*

Here I am, just finally getting serious about learning the "* html" hack and others that will allow me to adjust my boxes for compliant browsers and then add caveats for IE--and Microsoft goes and (potentially) breaks the hacks. I don't suppose all the late adopters would mind upgrading immediately to IE 7 (or better, a real browser), just to cut me a little slack?

Posted by: Foo at October 23, 2006 03:45 PM

I agree, the growth curve of browsing wowiness is rapidly flattening, because it has a well defined standard of what it is supposed to do, incremental changes may occur, but over-the top omigoshiusthavethis stuff won't.

No one looks to word processorts, or spreadsheets to do more or have really cool new features. The browser is entering that phase. The real 'wow' will be in addons to the basic foundation of the browser.

Posted by: Jon at October 23, 2006 07:13 PM

Post a comment [Take your time...we're in no hurry.]

Note: You must provide either a website URL or an email address...but there's no rule that says you have to tell the truth. If you don't want your email address published on this site, just input a website URL, or make up an email address.