Pre release of IE9 is here

[catilley1092]

This morning, in my weekly email from Microsoft, I saw the chance to try out IE9. In fact, that's what I'm using now, however, it's unsupported at this time. It's called "Windows IE Platform Preview 1.97745.6019". That's what shows at the top of the screen when using it. The page is rather plain, and there are only four options at the top of the page, " Page, Debug, Report Issue, Help". There's no print options. Finally, Windows is moving forward with a new browser, and hopefully it will be a good one. There's yet to be a place for favorites. Being that I like to try new products, I'll give this one a whirl. Hopefully, some of you received the same email with the offer, I get almost every Microsoft newsletter available, and they're coming out with new products all of the time. But one thing with this browser, you don't yet have the option to select a home page, and you must type in to your home page, so that you can browse further. But so far, no ads! That's an improvement in itself. And at the present time, it's twice as fast as IE8 or FF

 

[clifford_cooley]

I have been thinking about trying IE9.

My question is if things didn't work out.
Is there a IE8 install for Windows 7 I could use if I decided to uninstall IE9?

 

[Nibiru2012]

c_c you can get the download here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/default.aspx

 

[catilley1092]

I have been thinking about trying IE9.

My question is if things didn't work out.
Is there a IE8 install for Windows 7 I could use if I decided to uninstall IE9?

It gives you a separate shortcut for IE9, it doesn't affect your IE8 install. And, before anyone attempts to, it will install only on Vista SP2 or later. It is blasingly fast for a pre release product. I hope that it stays that way.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Internet Explorer 8: Worldwide sites
Windows 7 is not in the list for downloading IE8 because its shipped integrated in Windows 7. Is there something I am missing about Windows 7 and the IE8 browser? Do you reinstall IE8 with "Add and Remove Windows Components" and not a download from MS? I would prefer a download.

 

[catilley1092]

You don't remove IE8 to use this, being that it's not fully supported yet. If you can't download it for 7, backup and reinstall. But this appilcation is a while from being a finalized product, that's why you're given a separate shortcut for it.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Thanks cat, that is the download for IE9. I noticed you mentioned IE9 doesn't effect IE8. I was asking about IE8 download for Win7 and was given a link to MS.

I suppose at some point IE9 will overtake IE8 and MS will have no excuse to keep IE8 for Win7 off their Website. For now I don't want to create a mess I cannot undo. You answered my question by making a statement I was not expecting.

 

[catilley1092]

I just hope that the final product is as speedy as it is now. When you type into it, it appears a little shaky, but that should improve as time passes. This pre release isn't like IE8 was last spring, a full fledged browser in the final stages of testing. I do hope that this is the way Microsoft releases all of their browsers & OS's in the future, so that we may have input, just like Windows 7.

 

[Nibiru2012]

c_c here is a screenshot of the page I linked for you. Notice the arrow pointing to the IE8 download.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Thats funny because I had to open the link in Firefox before I could see what you see. However if you follow the link that you provided, it will bring you to my link which does not have a IE8 download for Windows 7.

The following list is all that is available for downloading Internet Explorer 8.

Select your operating system:

• Windows XP
• Windows XP 64-bit
• Windows Vista
• Windows Vista 64-bit
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Server 2003 64-bit
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 64-bit

 

[bassfisher6522]

How about some screen shots of the New IE 9? I would really like to see what changes they've made to it and the look of it.

 

[catilley1092]

How about some screen shots of the New IE 9? I would really like to see what changes they've made to it and the look of it.

Go to the site, Bing search "Windows IE Platform Preview". It's about the second link down. You can download it and test drive it. If it stays this fast, it may turn out to be the best OS on the market. But at this time, there's really no look to it, basically a plain page. But I don't care for eye candy, I want a working product.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Here is a shocker.

New IE9 won't run on Windows XP

LONDON - Microsoft has given developers a glimpse of its next Web browser, Internet Explorer 9 (IE9).

Although the browser is in such an early stage of development that it cannot even be called a 'beta version', it is possible to download the platform preview to see demonstrations of new features.

And here's the surprise: when the software eventually ships, it will not run on Windows XP, the world's most popular operating system.

 

[catilley1092]

That's what I found out earlier today, that's the reason for my post that you had to be running Vista SP2 & above. I actually tried to install it on XP Pro myself, that's when I found out. I guess it signals that the XP era is grinding to an end. It still remains the #1 OS, but that can't last for long. Something else I noticed, when I clicked onto that link above, it displayed in IE8. This isn't even in beta class status as of yet. Although the article didn't state what OS's it would be available for, when I attempted to install on XP, it said that you had to have Vista SP2 & above.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I do have a question or two regarding that article.

They mentioned something about IE8 becoming the new IE6 in regards to XP being stuck with IE8.

What I would like clarified is followed.
Was Win2K not recently dropped in regard to MS support?
Was IE6 the latest IE browser that could be installed?
So two browser versions later support was dropped for Win2K.

If Windows XP support will be dropped in two years and receive no more updates. Why would Microsoft work to provide a browser that will not receive updates.
Only one browser version later support will be dropped for WinXP.

Hopefully with Vista being buried in the past to be forgotten, Vista will have a short support life.

With that said, I don't see the comparison. Furthermore without IE6, Win2K, and WinXP support, websites can also drop support. I see this as a well timed promotion for web design advancement. All we need now is a well designed IE9 to promote this advancement.

 

[catilley1092]

Win 2K is still receiving support, I have two installs of it. They recently received two of the major updates that Windows 7 got. But the updates are becoming few and far between. Also, there's no more updates for IE6. I do see your point, it's about time that development for the current OS is in order. And more 64 bit support as well. I even posted a couple of weeks ago that as long as Win 2K & XP were hanging around, progress would be held back. This is a well timed promotion, and a smart one at that. I was recently allowed to upgrade my browser to IE7 (in XP Pro) a couple of days ago during a reinstall. IE6 is the browser that ships with XP Pro SP2. IE8 doesn't perform well on XP, so I was glad that IE7 was still offered, with all current updates.

 

[Core]

Interesting. I haven't been a fan of IE as of IE5, in fact I have quite a distaste for it, as is well known among forum regulars... However, unlike many IE-haters, I don't dislike the browser "because it's from Microsoft". My main issues with it have been with its lousy performance and lackluster support for community-written add-ons and themes. Not to mention security issues, but those are common with all browsers.

I'll give each new version a try, though, and if IE9 delivers on all fronts, I won't mind swapping browsers, although I'm not crazy about browsers that aren't available on multiple platforms. One of the many reasons I use Chrome is that I can use it whether I boot into Windows or Linux, and I can easily sync my bookmarks automatically through my Google account.

From what I understand, IE9 has a much faster engine... Now if they'll just disable ActiveX by default, and provide support for OGG, that'd be nice. I'm not expecting any kind of synchronization capabilities, but fully developed third-party add-on support would be nice.

 

[catilley1092]

Third party add-on support would be fantastic! And dump ActiveX altogether, that has a lot to do with IE's weaknesses. A build from the ground up would be in order here. And allow add-ons such as Adblock Plus, No Script, Better Privacy (deletes LSO cookies upon closing the browser), and many others. Have some real add-ons, instead of all of these "accelerators". They have their purpose, but IE8 has way too many from which to choose, and very little of the popular programs that Firefox offers. But one of the main points here is the one that Clifford suggested. There is a much bigger picture here than browser extensions and add-ons. The support for Win 2K, XP SP2 & Vista (w/no service pack) is gone this year. There are many XP SP2 users who refused the SP3 upgrade, and blocked it. This would lead to a rapid downfall of XP. That alone would knock them out of the #1 position, as their support would be gone. And this could be the unraveling of 32 bit computing for Windows. If it is, it's high time for advancement to happen. Time will tell, within the next year or so, the picture will become more clearer.

 

[Core]

I think it's a good thing that IE9 won't support XP. Trying to provide endless backwards compatibility has always hindered innovation, not advanced it. If Microsoft kept on catering to the XP crowd, it would take forever for us to properly move on to 64-bit architecture.

 

[davehc]

How about some screen shots of the New IE 9? I would really like to see what changes they've made to it and the look of it.

Not a lot to see really, at this stage, Bass.



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