Posted on 10/18/2006 9:32:00 PM PDT by Eagle9
Microsoft on Wednesday launched the first major update to Internet Explorer in five years, and posted the new browser for Windows XP to a download site.
IE 7, which has was announced in February 2005 by chairman Bill Gates, has been touted by the company as a significant update in the areas of security and usability. The interface has been streamlined and tabs have been added to compete with rivals such as Mozilla's Firefox and Opera's flagship browser. On the security front, IE 7 adds anti-phishing defenses as well as additional features to control ActiveX controls, which historically have been a pain point for Microsoft's browser.
IE 7 for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 can be downloaded from here.
"It's here, it's final, and we're excited," said Margaret Cobb, the group product manager for the browser.
The most controversial aspect of IE 7 has been Microsoft's decision to push the update to all users who have Automatic Updates enabled. Although users can reject IE 7 -- and continue using their current edition of Internet Explorer -- Microsoft will begin rolling out the browser as a "High priority" update next month. In July, when Microsoft offered up a toolkit to indefinitely postpone IE 7's installation, it justified using Automatic Updates, a mechanism for providing patches to Windows, because of the new browser's security implications.
"We've told enterprise customers to be ready [for IE 7] by Nov. 1," said Cobb. "It won't begin Nov. 1, but they should be ready."
The IE 7 update will also not add to the burden of Microsoft's monthly security patch delivery, scheduled for Nov. 14, promised Cobb. "We won't do it on Patch Tuesday."
Microsoft will also throttle back IE 7's delivery to keep the server load under control, she added. "We're starting with English, and then moving to the localized versions as they come available. At first we'll run it very slow, to a low percentage of users." After assessing the impact, Microsoft will increase the amount of traffic from the servers. "I'll have a 10 a.m. call every day to go over the impact on support or services," said Cobb, who can then order downloads to be scaled back or increased.
It will take as long as three months to deliver IE 7 to all users worldwide. "As each localized language comes online, we'll wait a few weeks after posting it for download before delivering it through Automatic Updates."
Microsoft has made one change late in the game. After IE 7 has installed, it will tell the user which search engine is the current default -- grabbed from IE 5 or IE 6 -- and then ask if they want to make a new choice. The process is similar to, but not identical, to the choice that Windows Vista users will face when they upgrade from Windows XP.
"We added this after RC3," said Cobb. "We're letting users know what engine is the default, and asking them if they want to keep it or do they want to switch. We're also going to be supporting IE 7."
Beginning Thursday, Microsoft will open a free, toll-free support line for IE 7. The help desk will be manned Monday through Friday 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. PDT, and on weekends from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. PDT.
Internet Explorer's chief rival, Mozilla Corp.'s Firefox browser, is nearing the final release of version 2.0. Currently on Release Candidate 3 (RC3), Firefox 2.0 should make it out the door before the end of the month.
Users who want to block the download and installation of IE 7 through Automatic Updates, as well as the Windows Update and Microsoft Update sites should steer here, where they can retrieve the Internet Explorer 7 Blocker Toolkit.
Everyone not technically adept enough to optionally download and correctly install the blocker and all who have Automatic Updates turned on.
It's in the article, ET.
Actually, it takes you to the same percentage down the page that you were before you refreshed. Of course, if you're at the bottom when you do that, you'll end up at the bottom :-)
I, too, find this behavior slightly annoying. I generally check the msg# I'm reading before I refresh, then enter /## to jump me to it.
Screw Micro$oft.
Get this, Vista only allows 2 installs, then its time to pony up more cash. Only one copy running at a time, but, you trash your drive more than once? Pay Bill.
It's going to create a nightmare for corporate support desks, because IE7 breaks a lot of stuff. We already know that a bunch of our internal servers won't work correctly with IE7 out of the box, if at all.
I'll just limit myself to Linux games, and reignite my interest in former pursuits.
sounds like a bunch of BS to me.
Even you would have to admit, that in the case of their browser, the derision is richly deserved.
If I'm at the bottom, say at post 36 and another 15 posts come in and I refresh, it takes me to post 37, not the bottom.
I don't use Windows update, even though I have circumvented WGA.
http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/
If you want to update windows, via Firefox.
like you can't stop and update? come on... just uncheck it.. sheesh... "the sky is falling" why someone would WANT a less secure browser is beyond me.
i have used that site before.
tech ping
for IE6 but someone here is complaing that MS might take it away from him! LOL sheesh... IE7 is just as good as FF IMHO just a little bit different button location and such.
I would not say everyone we have a fair share of apple bashers and of course a few Linux haters around..
Users are NOT all geniuses, I meant to say.
The two installs only is garbage but the 'only one at a time' is standard. When you buy software you dont buy the right to 1000 copies of it.
BTW, there is a version of IE7 which has been cracked to remove WGA up on the torrent sites.
It says to make sure you have normaliz.dll in the windows/system32 subdirectory.
Oh, and Flight simulator X is out, typical Micro$oft, they promised support for 64 bit, but don't have it, promised to have it written for dual core processors, but its not.
It looks pretty, but I have a damned fast system and it still stutters (AMD 64 X2 4600+ and GeForce 7600GS 256K video)
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