Behold The Future! Behold Internet Explorer 9!

[Hooch Tan]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/ie9-release-candidate-review-will-microsofts-big-browser-bet-pay-off/2954' target='_blank'>http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/ie9-...et-pay-off/2954</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"By any objective standard, Microsoft has succeeded at the task it set out to do: build a fast, standards-compliant browser with a clean, modern design that integrates well with Windows 7. But is that enough to preserve its shrinking lead in an increasingly competitive field of browsers? Can it convince defectors to end their experiments with Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and return to the fold?"</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1297527034.usr20447.jpg" style="border: 0px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>The browser wars continue and Microsoft is still making strides to make sure it stays relevant in today's digital marketplace.&nbsp; With it now being much closer to standards compliant, it almost seems to me as if browsers have become utilitarian, or almost a commodity.&nbsp; Allowing for minor quirks, websites seem to work in most browsers without a hitch.&nbsp; Considering the trend towards mobility these days, I think that rendering speed and battery saving features (like hardware acceleration) have become the most important on a technical level though it looks as if everyone is already addressing that.</p><p>What will make any browser stand out over any other is likely to be the feel and customizability.&nbsp; I have seen people very used to a particular pattern on how to do things (I am victim to that myself) so any straying from a rhythm I am used to is bound to make me feel uncomfortable.&nbsp; What it likely comes down to is that the only reason Internet Explorer could remain dominant is because it being a "default" choice for Windows computers.&nbsp; With that market also diminishing, it looks like it looks like IE9 is made to stay competitive, not on the top.</p>

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

What MS now needs to do is to force updates on Windows XP else XP will brick. IE6 needs to die already. :P

[ptyork]

What MS now needs to do is to force updates on Windows XP else XP will brick. IE6 needs to die already. :P

Yes, please. But in seriousness, I'm not sure there's much else they can do. They've all but said that you are risking your computer / organization / soul by sticking with an old and insecure OS and browser. They've brought out a compelling upgrade path. They've attempted many times to cut off support for XP and long ago stopped supporting IE6. And at every step they are stymied by ridiculously conservative and largely unintelligent IT departments (usually citing security concerns--ahem). My university is FINALLY moving towards Windows 7 and upgraded everyone to IE8 this past summer, but it is slow, slow, slow. Meanwhile, I'm having to install Win7 on VM's running on top of XP just to teach half of my courses correctly. :(

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Bah. There're also companies who worry about their Intranet breaking. *sigh*

[firedog]

Been using it for awhile, like it. But... still the slowest of the main 3 browsers.
But have to have it, as I still find sites that only work properly in IE. This is true with a lot of sites that have fill-in and submission areas.