January 31st, 2006
Exclusive Preview: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
First off, I want to thank Microsoft for giving us early information on this. I spoke with Gary Schare, Director of IE Product Management at Microsoft. As of right now, you can download the Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2 Public Preview HERE. I installed the software, and although I will say it’s still buggy (more on that later), it’s definitely a step in the right direction for Microsoft. You can expect a full review later in the week, as I play with this release more. Note: it requires Windows XP SP2 … and 32-bit. There will be a later beta release for 2003 Server as well as a 64-bit version released later.
What to Expect:
As opposed to the refresh of Internet Explorer which occurred with SP2, which was security-centric, IE7 has three areas of focus: security, user interface, and an improved platform. We’ll take a quick look at each of these; details can be found on Microsoft’s website.
Security:
The two most obvious changes are a built-in phishing filter and new ActiveX defaults. If you turn on the phishing filter, it will scan a page automatically when you browse to it, and compare it against information from Microsoft on servers that are fraudulent. The info is updated several times an hour. I tried this, and didn’t see any appreciable browsing slowdown. You can also turn it off and run the scan manually. Meanwhile, ActiveX functionality is pretty much disabled by default, to protect against malware. There are other changes, as well.
Platform Changes:
Besides increasing standards compliance, these changes are also supposed to facilitate innovative Web and application development. The biggest change here, at least in discussions with Microsoft, is the Windows RSS Platform, which is part of the IE7 release. It provides “rich functionality for downloading, storing and accessing RSS feeds across the entire operating system and will enable more users to take advantage of RSS-related innovation. Support for the Windows RSS Platform means that once a user subscribes to a feed in one application, that subscription and all the associated content will be made available across the operating system to any application available to make use of it.”
User Interface: Tabs
The most obvious change is tabbed browing. But there are significant changes to just the menu and toolbar sections. For example, if you want, you don’t even need to have the Classic Menu (”File, etc.”) available. You can see a screenshot of the UI without the Classic Menu above. You can run everything by the toolbars that are available by default (Classic Menu is considered a toolbar and is enabled by default also, but you can easily remove it). Actually, it seems to work in my opinion. You don’t really need the menu area with the way they have it set up. It’s very intuitive and efficient. They’ve also added a Search Box as part of the standard toolbars.
–Favorites Center takes the place of the old Favorites. It centralizes the “old” Favorites, as well as Tab Groups (groups of tabs that will be opened at once), browsing history and RSS Feeds. I found it very easy to use.
–RSS Feeds are another key addition. There’s an icon on one of the toolbars that changes when a feed is discovered a site. If you click on the icon you can drop-down a list of feeds and subscribe that way. Pretty easy to use.
–Quick Tabs is a preview of all the available tabs. It displays thumbnail views of all the tabs in a single window.
My favorite is (finally) Advanced Printing including Shrink-To-Fit. One of the most irritating things of IE is printing a web page that gets cut off on the right-hand side. This is a very common complaint. Shrink-To-Fit finally eliminates that problem. There are other features, like multipage print preview with Live Margins, and more.
Questions: I had some questions for Microsoft, and received some answers 
a) Are there any plans to resurrect IE for the Mac? Currently IE is developed by the Windows group and there are no plans to port IE to any other OS besides Windows.
b) Are there any plans to add blocking of ads besides pop-up ads? No, there are no plans at this time.
c) Can we get an updated release date for IE7? Currently IE7 will have another public beta preview within the first half of this year. After that, release is scheduled for the second half of the year, to coincide with the release of Windows Vista, though not necessarily at exactly the same time.
d) How has the strength of alternative browsers such as Firefox affected your development? There are three “buckets” of users that are targeted by IE7. One is the 85% or so that continue to use IE6. We feel these will be extremely happy with IE7. Second is the group attracted to the tabbed browsing in Firefox and Opera. We feel these users will be impressed with the changes that have been made to IE and will be very interested in it. Finally is the group who is “Anti-Microsoft” and would prefer to use anything that is non-Microsoft in nature.
We Say: One thing I really want is one browser for my PC. I don’t want to be switching back and forth between browsers because I need ActiveX support or something, which is one reason I haven’t adopted Firefox, though IE Tab is starting to make me think. IE7’s a lot better than IE6, but I still prefer Maxthon. Some of this is simply because I’m used to Maxthon, and this might change as I continue to use IE7 and as development continues and bugs are ironed out. One thing: I was pleasantly surprised to see my favorite toolbars supported seemingly without issue by IE7.
Speaking of bugs, don’t forget this is beta software. For example, I was writing an email in Yahoo! mail, and when backspacing to fix a typo, it stopped erasing characters on-screen (though it was still erasing them from the buffer). This was pretty consistent. Also, writing an article here on RTN is an adventure because when posting, it seems to hang up somewhere in the process. I end up with a blank screen rather than the screen I’m used to.
Anyway, I would recommend if you haven’t used a tabbed browser yet that you give this a try. As we saw above Microsoft has three different audiences they are aiming at: a) the IE6 users, b) the alternative browser (Firefox, Opera) users, and c) the audience who wants nothing to do with Microsoft (their words, not mine)
If you fall into a) or b), and definitely a), I would say you should at least give IE7 a shot. Of course, some of this depends on how brave you are with regards to installing beta software. But, the UI changes are significant, and I’m impressed with the RSS integration as well as the security modifications they’ve made. It may not be for everyone, but it definitely puts IE back into the Browser race again.
Alice Adds: Later today we will load more screens and info as it becomes available. We wanted to get this preview up for everyone as soon as possible. Thanks to Michael for doing such a great job. And before you go….try:
–Is Your Website Good or Evil?
–Will Amazon Lead the Industry In Video Downloads?
–Free Tech Magazines (Are you paying for PC World???)
–Preview: The New Nokia N70 Smartphone
degustibus says:
right, like I’m going to use any version of IE. My needs are so techy, avante, coolth.
January 31st, 2006 at 9:02 am
Michael Santo says:
They’re running a bit behind, as the update to the IE site was supposed to go live at 9:00 AM, and it hasn’t yet. Just FYI.
January 31st, 2006 at 9:06 am
sweet says:
the link just leads to the microsoft website and there is no mention of beta 2.
January 31st, 2006 at 9:08 am
Michael Santo says:
Please read my comment above. They told us the site would go live precisely at 9:00 AM PST and they’re obviously running late
January 31st, 2006 at 9:11 am
Bob says:
Does anyone have a link to download the beta 2 yet
January 31st, 2006 at 9:27 am
Michael Santo says:
Still looking for it. When they update the site I will update the article w/ a direct link.
January 31st, 2006 at 9:32 am
Michael Santo says:
Site is live, link is updated.
January 31st, 2006 at 10:30 am
goute says:
What is so great about tab browsing?
January 31st, 2006 at 11:11 am
Troy says:
My biggest complaint about IE 7 is that it isn’t fully tab aware. It still opens new windows for links and popups about 50% of the time. If I wanted a new window, then why use tabs? Make all new windows go to a tab!!!
January 31st, 2006 at 11:35 am
Michael Santo says:
Troy, did you try changing the settings under Internet Options, General, Tabs Settings, When a pop-up is encountered?
You can set it to, Let IE decide (default), Always a window, Always a Tab.
guote, I think you need to try it. I don’t know anyone who has tried tabbed browsing who didn’t stick with it once they tried it.
January 31st, 2006 at 11:41 am
Firefox User says:
Firefox just called and wanted IE to report on how things are going back in 2002.
January 31st, 2006 at 12:02 pm
Mac Smasher says:
Funny how all the Microsoft haters turn up commenting on the Microsoft products - I think they use them but pretend not to. Of course, it’s easy to slam Bill gates- after all, he managed to do what everyone else wishes they could. He created a product-whether good or bad, don’t matter. He got hordes of people to grasp it and he became the wealthiest man in the world! Jealousy can create such hatred.
January 31st, 2006 at 7:05 pm
FireFox Member says:
All the things said in the above article has already been achieved in Mozilla. IE will always be targeted by hackers. We don’t hate Bill Gates. We just don’t like his ethics.
As for Mac Smasher - get your facts straight. Do you have any clue why MS products get into our computers? Read IBM’s history. The average consumer is ‘forced’ into using MS products because it is the default product for most computers in the market since the 80’s. If in fact, the software I use are readily available for other platforms such as Linux, I would not think twice and format my computer into the Linux o/s. MS Windows is the biggest piece of crap that have been introduced to the gullible average consumer. You ask 80% of the people on this Earth to name an o/s other than MS Windows, and they will say DOS or Mac OSX.
As a developer, IE has way too many flaws. I can bet you that IE 7 will suck as bad as their new o/s - the Vista. Bill Gates company is always slow to progress. They’re too busy keeping lawsuits in order and thinking up new ways to block other more progressive software from being developed.
January 31st, 2006 at 10:41 pm
a says:
Don’t touch this peace of s.h.i.t ; use Firefox or Opera instead !
February 1st, 2006 at 12:32 am
anonymous coward says:
@ Michael Santo: There’s a fourth group of people: Those would simply want a browser that support the web standards for real, regardless of the browser vendor or platform.
February 1st, 2006 at 12:39 am
Jackie says:
I tried it this mornin switched back to IE 6 . wht to do coz i was facin sum problem it was askin be to connect every now and then. I got pissed and switched back any 1 know how to fix this or have the same problem please post here
Regards
Jack
February 1st, 2006 at 12:40 am
anonymous coward says:
s/would/who
February 1st, 2006 at 1:03 am
FireyFox says:
Sorry but from what I read its no reason to give up Firefox yet. I only “switch back and forth” when I run into some poorly designed website whose programmer didn’t provide Forefox support, and so far those have been very rare.
Sounds like Microsoft (as usual) still has a long way to go.
Their refusal to port any of this over to the Mac world won’t win them any more friends either. With the new Intel Macs coming out there stands to be a good market there, which they’re leaving open for the Mozilla folks
February 1st, 2006 at 1:17 am
chubby says:
You didn’t mention web design standards in your article. Is MS making any progress in adhering to them yet?
February 1st, 2006 at 2:57 am
Michael Santo says:
Chubby, under Platform Changes, I put the very general statement: “Besides increasing standards compliance”. They are attempting this.
February 1st, 2006 at 8:31 am
Michael Santo says:
Anonymous Coward, the 3 groups of people were per Microsoft. I may have my own list of groups myself
February 1st, 2006 at 8:32 am
Parag says:
MS is late to introduce this kind of functionality, also i cant see any valid reason to switch back from Firefox…..
Still MS products cant be relied upon
There is always SWAG in MS things left for the hackers to point out and take advantage !
~PB
February 2nd, 2006 at 8:31 am
PaulT says:
Also installed IE7 Beta 2 - quite impressed with look and feel. Finally getting close to Opera which I use at home.
But I had porblems with seeing Intranet pages. Could easily go to Internet sites through the firewall.
Tried as many variations in Tools-Internet Options-Connections-LAN Settings with no luck.
Backed out to IE6 as I needed to continue working. Colleague had similar experience and also backed out.
And whilst I’m not a Windows fanatic (OS/2 was the system pity IBM couldn’t market correctly) looks as if MS is finally getting closer to what the users want.
February 4th, 2006 at 12:40 am
sameer chavan says:
IE7 has lot of bugs and slow performance. May Java scripts do not work in IE7. The UI is very confusing and non scalable. The bookmarks have no improvements and adds to choas. Can anyone tell me how to swithch back to IE6. I am in a trap and many applications dont work with IE7.
March 6th, 2006 at 1:08 am
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October 16th, 2006 at 11:13 pm
Jarrett House North » Blog Archive » Just when you thought the browser wars were over… says:
[…] The public beta of Internet Explorer 7 hit today. Reaction: Dave Winer, CNET, PC Magazine/ABC News/Go, PC World, RealTechNews, Ars Technica. […]
April 29th, 2008 at 5:46 am
Jarretthousenorth.com » Blog Archive » Just when you thought the browser wars were over… says:
[…] The public beta of Internet Explorer 7 hit today. Reaction: Dave Winer, CNET, PC Magazine/ABC News/Go, PC World, RealTechNews, Ars Technica. […]
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:37 pm