NEWS
Some 18 months after Bill Gates pledged to revamp Internet Explorer, Microsoft is ready with the final version of Internet Explorer 7. The new web browser, which has been in testing for months, is now available for download from Microsoft's website.
On the feature side, Microsoft is playing catch-up in many areas. It has added support for web standards, RSS web feeds and tabbed browsing. The new browser also offers protection against phishing sites - malicious websites designed to trick users into handing over their personal information.
After months of ceding market share to Firefox, Microsoft has gained back a bit, according to the most recent statistics from OneStat. IE now has 85.9 per cent of the market, an increase of 2.8 percentage points since July. Firefox has 11.5 per cent of the market, down 1.4 percentage points compared with July. The Mozilla Foundation is getting closer to the launch of its own revamp, Firefox 2, which has hit the "release candidate" stage.
Microsoft is encouraging even Firefox users to install the IE update, promising them that it won't make IE the default browser - or even ask them if they want to switch. Gary Schare, Microsoft's director of IE product management, said: "There are advantages to having it there, even if you are not a daily user."
Those who have been beta testing IE 7 will begin receiving the final version via automatic updates this week. Microsoft plans to push down IE 7 via automatic update to IE 6 users starting next month, though they will get to decide whether they want to install it.
Microsoft has also offered a tool for businesses that lets them indefinitely block users from getting automatically updated to IE 7. Schare declined to say how many businesses have downloaded the tool.
Ina Fried writes for CNET News.com
Comments
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1. I'm Guessing
Welcome to the next round of the browser wars. Microsoft just released Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP SP2. Another day, another under-whelming product from the minds at Microsoft. I know I wonder constantly, "what the heck are they thinking?".
Internet Explorer is another reactive (as opposed to proactive) move by Microsoft brought about solely because another company is threatening part of their monopoly. Is there any doubt that IE7 was a knee jerk reaction to Mozilla's Firefox & Opera's web browsers stealing significant market share?
Because they are constantly in reactive mode these days, the results are very predictable. Microsoft's latest reincarnation of Internet Explorer catches up to Firefox & Opera on some features, falls short on others, and in general offers nothing that the others don't. And let's not forget that Firefox 2 is scheduled for release shortly and that Firefox 3 is already under development.
Here are some random snippets on the web regarding IE7.
IE 7 is an attempt by Microsoft to catch rival browsers as it includes features that have long been seen in competitors such as Firefox and Opera.
Internet Explorer 7 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.
IE 7 was Microsoft's one chance to leapfrog ahead of the competition, but the company has only barely caught sight of the current front-runners. For more features and greater security, switch to Mozilla Firefox.
I did find one website that referred to IE7 as a "Radically new Internet Explorer". Compared to IE6, definitely. Compared to Firefox or Opera, hardly. And considering IE6's track record, how hard was it to be "radically different"? I own a Toyota, which is radically different than the domestic vehicles I've owned in the past. Toyota, Firefox/Opera. Domestic, Microsoft.
The choice is yours. You can enable Microsoft to keep dumping average software on us, or you can vote with your hard earned mind share. Let me know what you think.
2. anonymous
Firefox is sloooooow to load. That's what kept me from using it. IE6 always started almost instantaneously as its half built in to the OS.
IE7 now has Firefox's features too, not that they were ever a big deal anyway. Firefox to me was only ever an internet fad, ie it was trendy NOT to use Microsoft.
Personally I don't care who makes a browser, I'll have the fastest one that does what I want.
3. John Bateson
I am a customer of TalkTalk Broadband. It is supplied with a desktop tool which monitors the connection and suggests fixes where there are problems.
This tool does not work with IE7, reverting to IE6 cured the problem.