IE8 Beta 1 Get It While It's Hot

[SYSMAN_MK]

Posting this via IE8 Beta 1.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...ss/Install.htm

Inital thoughts, Slow, clunky. Yet to view a page it can render correctly.

[Michael]

I can't see myself testing this for a while, however, at least we now have confirmation Windows XP will be supported for IE8. At least MS haven't abandoned XP yet

I wonder when XP will be classed as a "not secure enough OS" to not justify the latest and greatest IE.

[FN-GM]

going to give it a bash... does it have the look of Vista or Office 07 or something?

I can't see myself testing this for a while, however, at least we now have confirmation Windows XP will be supported for IE8. At least MS haven't abandoned XP yet

I wonder when XP will be classed as a "not secure enough OS" to not justify the latest and greatest IE.

Do you remeber when Windows defender was in Beta, it supported Windows 2000 but the final one doesn't.

[contink]

Well, you have to remember that if M$ decide not to support WinXP, there's always Opera, Firefox and a slew of other browsers out there who will...

I don't think even MS in their infinite wisdom are dumb enough to ignore that reality.

[Michael]

@contink - I agree there are plenty of browsers to choose from out there, but as FN-Greatermanchester mentioned, Windows Defender Beta worked on 2000 but the final product didn't. That really was a strange MS decision. Why Beta test it on a product which will be unsupported when it goes Gold?

I'm interested to see what IE8 looks like. Whether it's a glorified IE7 GUI or another new look.

[FN-GM]

Ok, just installed it. The interface is the same as IE7 and there are a few rendering issues. Also if i try and select something in a text box (for example this post when i am typing it) it does not select the correct area. For example if i use CTRL it selects everything but only part of the box goes blue. Another thing is if i select a word and press delete is deletes something else that isnt selected. When i select an area with the mouse it is out of sync with cursor.

Handy translation tool. Lots of Windows Live links.

Take a look at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/...n/default.html

Plus the readmail button doesn't work with Outloook 07

Its coming off now....

[cookie_monster]

Oh get ready i bet MS are going to find this release to be challenging as they're trying to avoid a massive law suite by making IE8 standards compliant.

[googlemad]

We haven't even rolled out Internet Explorer 7 to most of our PCs yet

Thank god they're improving the crash recovery - My personal laptop is always crashing with Vista and IE7

[Geoff]

Well you can keep on IE6 for the time being (support for IE6 runs out 24months after XP SP3 is released AFAICT)

[cookie_monster]

support for IE6 runs out 24months after XP SP3 is released AFAICT

That's support for I.E 6 not support for IE6 on XP SP2.

[srochford]

@contink - I agree there are plenty of browsers to choose from out there, but as FN-Greatermanchester mentioned, Windows Defender Beta worked on 2000 but the final product didn't. That really was a strange MS decision. Why Beta test it on a product which will be unsupported when it goes Gold?

Surely part of the point of beta testing is to see if it works properly in certain situations. No idea if this is the case but it's possible that beta feedback made MS decide that Windows 2000 was never going to a platform on which they could support defender.

I'm sure there are also commercial reasons - if Defender is only available on XP/Vista and people think Defender is worth having then they may upgrade ...

[Geoff]

That's support for I.E 6 not support for IE6 on XP SP2.

No, IE (6,7 and 8) on SP2 is unsupported as soon as SP3 for XP is released.

[cookie_monster]

I.E6 for SP2 is an OS specific version that shipped with the SP and will be supported untill the end of XP's life which should be 2011. This is why I.E 5.01 Service Pack 4 on Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 4 is still supported but I.E 5.5 is not as an individual product e.g. on NT4 or 9x, IE 5.5 was a add on product IE5.01 is part of the 2000 OS and has to be supported untill the end of extended support. They are treated quite differently by MS.

SP2 should be supported for at least a year after SP3 is realeased and after that the version of IE6 installed by default on XP will still be supported but MS 'may' require you to install SP3 to receive updates.


In fact: Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Windows 2000 Service Pack 4: Support ends either 12 or 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first.

Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2: Support ends either 12 or 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first.

[Geoff]

I.E6 for SP2 is an OS specific version that shipped with the SP and will be supported untill the end of XP's life which should be 2011.

I agree with this. However my point was that if/when SP3 comes out packaged with IE7/8 then the above statement will not be true anymore.

This is why I.E 5.01 Service Pack 4 on Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 4 is still supported but I.E 5.5 is not as an individual product e.g. on NT4 or 9x, IE 5.5 was a add on product IE5.01 is part of the 2000 OS and has to be supported untill the end of extended support. They are treated quite differently by MS.

For this specific example you are correct.

In fact: Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on Windows 2000 Service Pack 4: Support ends either 12 or 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first.

Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2: Support ends either 12 or 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first.

Yes I know. This is what I was apparently failing to communicate.

[cookie_monster]

IE7/8 won't be included in SP3 MS don't tend to include IE updates in service packs.

I still don't think that this is true though and was misleading (i'm not saying deliberately) as MS say "Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2: Support ends either 12 or 24 months after the next service pack releases or at the end of the product's support lifecycle, whichever comes first.".

No, IE (6,7 and 8) on SP2 is unsupported as soon as SP3 for XP is released."

I'm not trying to be argumentative i was just pointing out that the statement could be misinterpreted.