Internet Explorer 9 Beta launching September 15th, might enter a beauty pageant
By Darren Murph 
posted August 12th 2010 4:54PM
posted August 12th 2010 4:54PM
posted August 12th 2010 4:54PM
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Isn't IE9 supposed to have native support for certain HTML5 elements? This could be a good thing for those of us clamoring for the death of Flash.
@MacEnvy
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie
Put your past transgressions aside...objectively IE is back in a pretty big way.
Competition is good.
@MacEnvy Each have their place. And good luck with that clamoring, you're going to be doing it for quite some time!
@zepfloyd
Back in a big way for a few months, then Chrome 6 and FF4 come out...
The IE team has done a beautiful job with this release, but the institution of Microsoft is just not able to adapt quickly enough anymore.
@MacEnvy
Yep. On top of that hardware accelerated support for SVG elements, pictures, video (so it completely destroys anything else in that department) and a new javascript engine that's faster Safari and Firefox (only 20-25% slower than Chrome5/6 and Opera 10.6). As floyd said, IE is back and it's out for blood.
May it be good or not, most of us (web devs) came to HATE Internet Explorer over the years, and I don't think any version, as good as it may be, is ever gonna change this feeling..
@zepfloyd
wow, those tests show it to be a huge step up...
@MacEnvy FF3.6 is a huge memory hog, and the speed of Chrome has slowed down dramatically since installation, so AFAIC, I'm open to switching my default browser - especially if MS improves their dev tool (I can't live without Firebug as a front end developer).
@devoinregress
"the institution of Microsoft is just not able to adapt quickly enough anymore."
Tell that to the Bing team
@rojorojo
Not a big fan of Bing, but I cant get past that horribly drawn logo.
@jayjaync At the very least, it seems we'll always have IE 6, 7, and 8 around to hate, due to older machines and OSes not being allowed to upgrade to IE 9, so we'll have to support those old crappy versions _FOREVER_. *sigh*
@Tumbleweed yes, when ms decides to force ie6 users to upgrade, that'll be the day i'll support ie 100% again.
@MacEnvy
People who are trying to shake the clunkiness of Flash most certainly shook the clunkiness of IE years ago!
@rojorojo
True that, I still don't understand how MS can do so much work on Bing and still being so 'slow' when it comes to IE.
@zepfloyd Have you forgotten MS gave us IE6 for 5 years, effectively crippling the development of the internet? If it wasnt for mozilla, we might still be on IE7 or worse. There is forgiving and there is forgetting. The only reason we have IE9 with standards is because of everyone else's work.
Not to mention the 'no-IE9-for-XP decision' means about 70% of the current MS Windows user base cant even download it, lest they even consider Mac and Linux users. This sure does look like more of the same MS from where I am sitting.
@jubjub
When was the last time you tried the developer toolbar in IE8? I feel it's on par with firebug. Plus it lets you emulate ie6 and ie7. I find it works really well.
@johnny005
Oh no, really?! My father's 9 year old Pentium III computer won't be able to run IE9?! I guess he'll just have to stick to FF 1.5, because anything higher, and his computer slows down by about 40%
@jubjub
I have to agree with you 100%. Firefox 3.6.3 is by far the WORST version of the browser I have ever used. It's buggy as hell and crashes a lot and it's memory like a fat kid loves cake....
@MacEnvy
welcome to IE we have added stuff firefox and other browsers have had last year
@MacEnvy
I personally think HTML 5 is good for video, but nothing will replace Flash as a gaming platform online. Not the app Store. Not the 'Droid market. Nothing.
Ill try it out, but its got to be dorn good for me to give up the chrome browser
beautiful or not let's just hope they bumped up their speed.
@jcom
Oh yeah, that Chrome Beta that never ever has a Flash Crash is so wicked....
Safari 5 + ClicktoFlash, baby
@Wesscoast
Safari? Chrome is faster, safer, and won't bend you over and rape you like most Apple products.
@zinc55 True, but it crashes easier, and the flash support helps it(crash)
Good news. It's no big deal for where I work about XP. We FINALLY ditched XP and IE6. So our systems run on Enterprise 7 and Firefox 3.6.8. I can't wait to see what IE9 will look like.
@N900
I think it's a huge mistake that MS is ditching IE9 Support for XP. it's just more reason for people to get use to Chrome and Firefox on XP.
@angelusp they are aiming to. It's probably one of the large reasons IE is an application instead of built into the firmware updates.
@totalfixation Or just more reason for them to drop a 10 year old OS?
@Xylias Well lets say for whatever reason they choose not to upgrade or leave XP. If they need to use HTML 5 or whatever IE8 doesn't support. Where else would the turn to? Most likely Chrome or Firefox. It wouldn't be a wise decision for MS to allow more people to get use to Firefox and Chrome. When these people leave XP and upgrade. What would you think would be their preference for a browser when they switch to W7. Just mentioning the possibilities.
Max version maybe? Lol
Oops, Mac I mean
Honestly I don't use IE anymore, Firefox is my browser.
@Evil Pikachu
I think most to nearly all people browsing this website (on their own PC / Mac), are doing so on something other than IE..
Chrome's my preference.
@Evil Pikachu
Good for you, so do I. However, there are plenty of people who are locked into using IE at places like work due to not having sufficient privileges to install a new browser.
I managed to figure out how to install Chrome in my office computer, so I use that there.
@ClarkyAC , I'm using IE8. I tried FF, but it was too slow to startup and tab switching seemed slugglish.
Chrome is definitely fast, but I just don't trust Google with web browsing habits, since they make all of their money from targeting ads.
@DevStar: Just download AdBlock and Google Analytics Opt-out plugins. I get all the benefits of a Google products without any of the Trojans that might come with it (analysis of my browsing habits to refine their product and ads being the trojan). I hope...
@Ruben
Srware Iron does that
Perfect! this way MS can toss some really nasty bugs into XP computers via IE 8 and force them to upgrade all the way around. "Sorry, the only fix for your problem is a complete OS upgrade."
@16915V
Is that a tinfoil hat you're wearing or are you just getting highlights?
@MarkAnderson
Id love it if they do that (seriously). Kill XP! How many computers running Windows 98 were we using in 2007? Its been way too long, 9 years!
This may sound arbitrary, but wouldn't it be nice if Microsoft just renamed the darned thing 'Explorer'?
@Colours
I'd prefer Microsoft MultiVerse.
@Colours then what would they call "windows explorer".. just window?
@Colours But Microsoft needs to keep up its terrible naming conventions for some reason.
@Colours
If they named it just "Explorer", Microsoft tech support will receive a deluge of calls from older users who aren't able to "start the Internet". If they do shorten the name, they should remove the "Explorer" part instead.
Only beta for HTML5 support? MS is so slooooow to release.
@jmactacular you do realise that no browser has "full" HTML5 support, and that the double quote signifies that HTML5 itself isn't finalised.
@jmactacular
what would you rather? a half assed attempt at a browser like IE 5, 6, 7 & 8 or a proper browser that people ACTUALLY WANT TO USE AND DEVELOP FOR? idiot.
@jubjub Of course, I realize all that, but at least Firefox, Chrome, and Safari have already reached the release stage with many of HTML5 core features. IE8 doesn't even have border radius. And IE9 won't even be going RTM until next year at the earliest. Who knows how long until end users start to adopt. MS is so far behind it's not even funny. When you're trying to develop cross browser, this kind of stuff is painful.