Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) arrives

[VC-1]

Tested 64bit version and installed 64bit Flash called "Square", all works well with exception of Vodacoms new site www.vodacom.co.za needs to run in "Compatibility Mode" to display properly. Where the problem is unclear, New website based on old design or IE9 Beta. You be the judge.

The 64bit version with "Square" Adobe Flash still has problems displaying http://speed.vodacom.co.za/speed testing site. Need to revert back to 32bit version. Lets hope we do not have to wait to long for Adobe release a fully working 64bit Flash for IE 9 64bit.

 

[VC-1]

Tried it and was impressed. Now for the few BUT's. The 645bit version still has no "Flash" and some websites like the new Vodacom site will only display correctly in "Compatibility Mode", either an MS problem or Vodacom website design problem.

 

[Arthur]

The wacky Register has this on Square, the 64-bit Flash beta. That said, the ability to use hw accelation in IE9 is very promising. I haven't tried it, must confess.

 

[Spinx999]

IE9

Ahhh crap. Another browser from MS ... more validation to do to see what they've changed now and what parts of our apps don't work anymore.

"Microsoft says IE9 is built around the premise that the browser is critical to the way people interact with their computers."
No **** noddy. So why do you okes keep changing it FFS?!

IE 9 does not support Windows XP SP2, which I am running, so I will stick with Firefox/Chrome. It is much better than anything of IE anyway. Makes no difference to me.

 

[DJNgoma]

Look like a great browser. Very fast, and I love the way you tear off tabs to make new windows! They've definitely nailed that, it's the best implementation thusfar.

IE 9 does not support Windows XP SP2, which I am running, so I will stick with Firefox/Chrome. It is much better than anything of IE anyway. Makes no difference to me.

Supporting a 9 year OS, FTW...?

 

[Zyzzyva]

Not quite sure what you're getting at? Seeing as that IS the MyBB icon.

I was badly making the point that they have now fully integrated website shortcuts into windows. Web devs can now even add taskbar jumplists to their sites.

 

[TheBossMan]

I'm somewhat impressed with it.. Only thing I'm missing is a option to switch on classic menu's on so it stays there, not having to press ALT everytime,might get used to that at some stage. And other small thing still getting used to is favourites button on right hand side, but with classic menu on it found not even bother me the favourites button.

Edit:

Also no progress bar, would not mind them using tab as progress bar like explorer icon on taskbar when copying files. And tabs next to address bar = FAIL!!!

 

[Arthur]

Paul Thurrott has persuaded me to give the IE9 beta a try.

He acknowledges past failures:

...Looking back over the past 15 years, my biggest and longest lasting complaint against Microsoft was the artificial and disastrous way it "integrated" IE into its then-untouchable NT OS, forever tarnishing the product and setting up Windows for over a decade of easily avoidable security vulnerabilities. The lie of Windows/IE integration was laid bare during Microsoft's epic antitrust trial, but by then the damage had been done: IE was part of Windows, and would forever be tied to the OS...

...Mozilla with Firefox and then from Google with Chrome. These browsers out-innovated Microsoft's offerings, seized usage and mind share, and embraced open web standards in a way IE never could...

He then goes on to say:

...For the past several weeks, I've been quietly using beta versions of Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft's next web browser. It's better than you think it is, much better in fact, and I've had to suppress laughter as a few leaks occurred, prompting charges that Microsoft was somehow copying Chrome with the new, minimalist IE 9 user interface. Not so, as it turns out. In fact, IE 9 is unique, innovative, and, in a dramatic twist, the first time where Microsoft's OS integration plans actually makes sense.

That is quite a turnaround.

...But what a difference a decade makes.

... The result of this torrid history, amazingly, is Internet Explorer 9. Unlike its immediate predecessors, IE 9 is not about more for more's sake. Instead, IE 9 takes the same path Microsoft plowed with Windows 7 and then Windows Phone 7. It's clean, simple and fast. It gets out of the way, letting web site content take center stage. It's everything that IE has never been, then, and in addition to being the best browser that Microsoft's ever made, it may very well be the best web browser on the market, even in this early public beta version. Maybe.

Downloading beta now for Win7-64.

 

[pjjdp]

Not really impressed. Speed not to bad. The top "real estate" is too busy for my liking. Especially if you have lots of tabs open.

Chrome is still the best for me.
BTW: I'm busy testing 4.0b7pre of Firefox and is quite impressed by it.

 

[Arthur]

Breaking all my policies of not having betas on production machines, I've installed the IE9 beta everywhere. It's pretty impressive. Still getting used to the minimalist interface. But it's noticeably faster on all the Win7-64 systems.

Woody Leonard, long-time top boffin, is pretty enthusiastic in this morning's Windows Secrets newsletter.

Internet Explorer has been a distant third-string player to Firefox and Chrome for so long, we thought it could never catch up.

But with a slick new interface and enhanced Windows 7 features, IE 9 — now in public beta — just might put Microsoft back at the top of the browser game.

For the past four years, I've sung the praises of Firefox, going so far as recommending it in all of my books. I've used Firefox and, more recently, Google's Chrome almost exclusively. But last week, a friend of mine started shouting online, "Ya gotta see this! Microsoft's come up with some great new stuff!" My reply? "Yeah, sure."

A few months ago, I played with an early beta version of Internet Explorer 9. It left me cold — more of the same old IE stuff, piled higher and deeper. Meh.

Microsoft released the public beta (info site) of IE 9 last week, complete with a heavily rejiggered user interface and a number of much-hyped enhancements. And after trying it for a few days, I have to admit that I was impressed — so impressed that I've continued to use it, from time to time, even when I don't have to.