Microsoft introduces release version of Internet Explorer 7 browser

[Bob Crabtree]

The release version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7 web browser is now finally available but only for Windows XP. The installer is offered as a 14.8MB download.

Version 7 offers far better security than V6 - with defence promised against phishing and malacious software. It also provides tabbed browsing so you can access multiple sites without filling the screen with lots of different browser windows.

Vista, the new version of Windows, will come as standard with Version 7 and XP users are expected to be offered the new browser in November as an automatic update.

IE7 running on Vista at 1024x768 on a virtual PC
running on Parallels Workstation (click for larger image)

More in this HEXUS.lifestyle.headline

Oh and keep an eye on the live thread about the IE7 launch that's already appeared over in the HEXUS.binaries forum.

[DavidM]

No larger image to click to...

[Bob Crabtree]

Oh yes there is!

And it was there about 0.3 seconds before you posting!

Thanks for the heads-up anyway, though.

[DavidM]

[BritBrat]

I installed and 15 mins later uninstaled, and yes I like and use IE.

But IE7 don't seem to like some of the pages I visit.

[bradyjames]

I installed the official IE 7 release a couple of days ago but it seemed to make my PC run very slowly and it also became unstable. I uninstalled it this morning and went back to IE 6 and everything is working fine now. I've got a reasonable PC spec so I'm not sure why I had issues. The way it behaved felt more like a beta to me.

[charleski]

I installed IE7 just to make sure the OS's security was completely up to date (the IE7 install changes several core elements of course). But the interface is just as cluttered and chaotic as Vista's (no surprise), so there's no way it can compete with FF2.

What cretin at MS thought it was a good idea to destroy the menu paradigm that has served Windows well since 3.0? Instead the core functions are scattered around the screen in a range of non-intuitive places. All Windows Apps have a 'File, Edit...' menu across the top of the window, that's the WIMP paradigm and it means that you always know where to go to find the function you want in any new app. Any newbie who's unsure how it works needs just look at the top of the window and they'll find a menu item called 'Help' in the same place in every app. But if I want to find help in IE7, I have to click a small double arrow next to the Tools item off on the right edge and then select Help from the pop-down menu. How many new computer users are going to find that without being shown it? This interface is broken.

BTW, I see that IE7 fails to pass along the browsing history when opening a new tab from a link. Anyone found an add-on that will enable this? Duplicate Tab is one of my must-have FF extensions for this reason.

[saiwet]

Damm, I can't install IE7 on my commodore 64.