Internet Explorer 7 Beta 3 Reviewed 221
An anonymous reader writes to mention a review of the latest Beta release for Internet Explorer 7 on Paul Thurrott's SuperSite. From the article: "While it's not enough to make me switch from Firefox yet--I still love certain Firefox features such as inline search--it's no longer an object of ridicule either. IE 7.0 Beta 3 includes huge functional and security advantages of IE 6 and is an absolute no brainer for anyone choosing to stick with IE. If you are an IE user, head over to the Microsoft Web site and pick up IE 7.0 Beta 3 today." ZDNet has some first impressions of the release as well.
my review (Score:3, Interesting)
First have to validate the system about it's "genuity" and get a key and who knows what it's doing during that process, in any case some sniffing around is done and probably the systems Serial number is recorded.
Once the key is gotten and pasted into a field, download startd...
Then execute the install file - first the system will need to be upgraded, with the "Automatic" upgrade option prominently displayed.
No, I want to do the manual install and see what is coming onto the system.
Well, well, well -the Windows Genuine Advantage is one package in a bundle and _has_ to be installed.
Once the system is upgraded with all the goodies, the IE7B3 installer runs but complains that there is already a previous version of IE7B? installed and it has to be uninstalled first from the Control Panel.But this program has no uninstaller!!
Result: Live with the old IE7 version and have the WGA phone home every day...
Does this suck? Yesssss!!!
M$ is digging their own grave with this type of BS!
Re:a finer compliment (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:the Right Direction (Score:3, Interesting)
Well, funny thing about firefox is that it isn't going away. As long as the mozilla foundation remains focused and/or as long as there are developers out there willing to take up the slack if they do. Microsoft complacency will only fuel firefox development and Microsoft arrogance will fuel its adoption. A new release of IE will not significantly hurt firefox, yes it may slow migration away, but how long until Microsoft mis-steps again?
Missing a crucial point (Score:5, Interesting)
Once IE7 becomes widely adopted, we can finally start USING some of these features without worrying about them not being compatible with IE. We need to encourage people to upgrade, and if they won't upgrade to Firefox or Opera, then at least they can upgrade to IE7 and give us an easier time developing web pages.
Re:It's fine (Score:2, Interesting)
I refuse to do extra work just to satisfy microsofts refusal to play along with standards they usualy pushed for and/or helped write. I also do not care about people who use IE, and after a breif explination neither do most of my clients... and so if you view my companies site in IE it is a bit off and will politely ask you to use any browser but IE if you want to see it the way it was meant to be. I then include my standard "why" page explaining standards and how microsoft does not follow them along with code examples showing all the extra work microsoft tries to create for me.
And yes... some of what I do is professional web development. When I explain the extra cost of making thier site "IE compliant" instead of "Standards compliant" almost always companies go with standards. Just one more way Microsoft raises your total cost of ownership as a business.