Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1: A First Look
A Review of Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1
It has come to my attention that Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 has already been examined in numerous places online. However, providing our perspective on this new browser is essential for our dedicated readership. Would you be interested in hearing my assessment?
Installation Process
Please note that this reflects my personal experience on a machine running XP Professional SP2; your results may differ based on your system configuration and operating system.
I initially anticipated a straightforward installation. The installation user interface closely resembles that of IE 7, which should be familiar to many. However, Microsoft requires updating several components simply to begin the IE 8 installation, even if those updates aren't desired. I attempted to deselect the option to install updates, but Microsoft insisted on prioritizing my security. Nevertheless, I can always remove unwanted components later, so I proceeded.
A potential issue arose! If Firefox is currently set as your default browser – a choice I recommend to most users – IE 8 expresses its disapproval. Perhaps the installation isn't as simple as I first thought.
Consequently, I launched IE 7 and designated it as my default browser. This is a relatively simple process, though arguably unnecessary. The path is Tools, Internet Options, Programs, then Make Default.
I was then required to restart the entire installation process simply for Microsoft to direct me to the "Validation Required" page! This update highlights a problem where the language bar can crash on multi-core machines. My current machine has a single-core CPU, and I had already disabled the language bar, but thank you for looking out for me, Microsoft!
Following all the validation steps and downloading the update, another restart was necessary!
After the restart, I had to begin the installation process all over again. Hopefully, it will now proceed without issue.
Success! Or so it seemed… another reboot was required! Microsoft certainly knows how to create a memorable experience.
Following the restart, I was finally able to configure IE 8. I prefer to customize my settings, so I opted to choose them myself.
On the subsequent screen, I was prompted to select a search provider. Google is currently my default, but for the purpose of this review, I wanted to explore the options offered by IE 8, so I chose to view a list of other providers.
Next, curious about what IE 8 would suggest, I selected to view a list of activity providers instead of the standard options.
The initial setup appears to be complete. I left the safety monitor enabled, as it is by default. Any legitimate sites blocked by it can be added to Trusted Sites.
As I wanted to examine additional search sites, IE 8 presented the options page, including the usual web search engines and a list of various topic search sites. A field to create your own custom search provider is also available.
Here is the list of Activity Providers available to add to IE 8.
This is a view of the default user interface for IE 8 Beta 1. The appearance is remarkably similar to IE 7; from what I understand, the significant changes lie in the underlying code and security enhancements. I will be exploring IE 8 Beta 1 further in the coming days.
If you are interested in trying the new browser, it is available for download now.