Well done, Bill, you’ve finally done something right. Internet Explorer 9 is now out and can be downloaded from microsoft.com. Here’s the catch: it only works on Windows Vista and 7.
Let me repeat that:
It only works in Vista and 7. It doesn’t work in XP.
Thoughts on the new browser
For one thing, it’s a lot better than Internet Explorer 8, although that isn’t saying much. To be honest, it’s actually decent; Internet Explorer can now compete with the other popular browsers like Firefox and Chrome.
Here’s what really matters:
- It’s faster than previous versions of Internet Explorer, but it still isn’t as fast as Firefox, Chrome, au Safari.
- It’s decent at displaying websites. If you look at hathix.com through Internet Explorer 9, it looks OK, but it needs to be viewed in Chrome/Firefox for it to look its best. Internet Explorer isn’t horrible at displaying websites, but it isn’t spectacular either.
- It’s got a completely different look than previous versions. You’ll see what I mean.
It’s a very good step forward for Microsoft, but it still has a ways to go.
Here’s a look at IE9 in action:
Notice the boxiness and weirdness of the layout (but beside that it looks pretty good.) If you look at the top bar, you’ll notice that tabs are on level with the address bar, which has been combined with the search bar. If you ask me, the IE guys went a little overboard; the whole thing looks cramped.
Should I get it?
It’s worth a try, especially if you use Internet Explorer as your main browser. I tried it but I really didn’t care for it, it really depends on who you are.
Besides, better browsers are coming. Firefox 4 is coming out in a week, and Chrome always has new versions (I swear, every time I blink my eyes there’s a new version…)
Final thoughts
The guys at Internet Explorer have finally put out a decent browser. It’s good for right now, but within 2 years it’ll be crap.
