Last night I noticed that Microsoft had released Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 yesterday. Now I haven't been using IE for several years since better and quicker alternatives such as Firefox, Opera, and, more recently Safari for Windows, were available. Anyway, out of morbid curiosity I decided to give IE8 a try, and was very pleasantly surprised. The speed, smoothness, reliability, and security features are now well on a par with its rivals, and, importantly for the members of TheSession, you can now select, copy and paste text from discussions without having to go through the complicated and depressing rigmarole that was necessary in its previous versions.
It still isn't "quite" as quick as Safari, but quick enough for me, and may perhaps be a little quicker when it comes out of beta.
A good example of how market forces can improve a product.
I agree it's definitely better... however still nowhere near as good (for me) as firefox and opera. Will download it when it comes out of beta, but will only use occasionally.
One reason why I'm pleased MS is getting its act together is that a family member frequently needs to access certain websites to do with work, websites which don't work very well with non-IE browsers - and the previous IEs weren't all that good anyway. So now we're all happy.
I am careful to put anything with a provenance like IE on my machine.
There is always something buried in the code to 'call home' so Microsoft can collect the data.
It always bugs me when I turn on my home machine in the AM and something pops up like 'Microsoft just installed new software' without you knowing.
The funniest thing was a couple of years ago, I new the US feds were reading my emails under that stupid domestic spying things (for other reasons than my ITM habit). They left little bits and pieces in the code. Made a mess of things. The machine ran like cr*p. So had a geek freind fix things and put a harwdare firewall on it.
Something kept trying to get out and I got these cool diagnotsics about '///ejdkjv.er.22222...." trying to call out (if you have lime wire, you can see the sort of thing whenever you start up and it tries to call home) .
I just bought herself a new machine, have make believe ids on everything...and never ever put anything that is not totally secure on the machine. IE is always a usual suspect. Probably why the Feds can do their domesstic spying as easily as they do.
" 'Microsoft just installed new software' without you knowing".
You can always instruct the system to ask permission before upgrading or installing new software, and then it is up to the user to grant or deny that permission - this is the setup I use. Or you can just instruct the system not to carry out any upgrades at all.
Not that I would ever consider installing it, but I read that IE8 allows you to browse in "secret" mode with no trail of porn-sites visited etc. being left. (All in the interests of banking safety etc. and no doubt reporting back to microshaft).
I've been playing around with Chrome as well in the last couple of days, and like it. Google say they've been using some of the best features of open-source browsers, such as Firefox and Opera (I believe they also mentioned Safari), and this policy seems to work fine.
There are some websites around, mainly in commerce, industry, and academia, which have been written to work best with IE, so if you're in this situation IE may be the only way to go.
I think a good pollcy for a home user is to have a number of browsers to hand, and use whichever is appropriate at the time.
(I'm using Chrome at this moment.)
I installed chrome yesterday, but was not impressed. I liked its simple format but withinmoments it was giving me problems with not finding addresses. I have little patience in that regard. I want it to work 'out of the box' it didnt. I am happy enough with firefox. Perhaps i may give it another shot...
It's worth pointing out that both IE8 and Chrome are currently in the beta stage; which means they are still under development and being tested for problems - the programmers welcome user comments. When they come out of beta into their final form most problems should have been dealt with, the coding will be less bloated (bloated code is not uncommon in beta), and things should be quicker as a result.
A beta version can, in theory, be withdrawn or modified without warning, so it's probably not a good idea to rely on a beta for mission-critical work. This shouldn't be a concern for most domestic use ... but be aware.
I just tried to print out a tune gif on the Session website within the Chrome browser, but the sheet came out blank. Went back to Firefox and it printed OK.
However, I like Chrome's feature of displaying thumbnails of most visited sites when you open it or start a new tab, instead of having just one homepage.
I've tried printing a tune gif too (the recent Ballydesmond March), using Chrome, and got a blank page. But it printed out ok using Opera 9.50.
I've sent a report to Google Chrome.
Has anyone using google's chrome actually read the EULA?
11. Content license from you
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.
11.2 You agree that this license includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.
11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this license shall permit Google to take these actions.
11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license.
I was talking to my local computer store manager today and he told me that the beta release of IE8 came with some viruses. Which explains why my routine AV scan a day or so later picked up and quarantined the 3 little beggars. leaving me wondering where they had come from.
Initernet Explorer 8
Initernet Explorer 8
Last night I noticed that Microsoft had released Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 yesterday. Now I haven't been using IE for several years since better and quicker alternatives such as Firefox, Opera, and, more recently Safari for Windows, were available. Anyway, out of morbid curiosity I decided to give IE8 a try, and was very pleasantly surprised. The speed, smoothness, reliability, and security features are now well on a par with its rivals, and, importantly for the members of TheSession, you can now select, copy and paste text from discussions without having to go through the complicated and depressing rigmarole that was necessary in its previous versions.
It still isn't "quite" as quick as Safari, but quick enough for me, and may perhaps be a little quicker when it comes out of beta.
A good example of how market forces can improve a product.
# Posted on August 28th 2008 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Internet Explorer 8
oops! that should be "Internet"
# Posted on August 28th 2008 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
OK, thanks for the heads up.
# Posted on August 28th 2008 by Whiddler
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
I agree it's definitely better... however still nowhere near as good (for me) as firefox and opera. Will download it when it comes out of beta, but will only use occasionally.
# Posted on August 28th 2008 by samburnstone
Re: Internet Explorer 8
One reason why I'm pleased MS is getting its act together is that a family member frequently needs to access certain websites to do with work, websites which don't work very well with non-IE browsers - and the previous IEs weren't all that good anyway. So now we're all happy.
# Posted on August 28th 2008 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
As this is obviously a thread for geeks, take a look at this hilarious ad for Vista: http://blip.tv/file/340692/
# Posted on August 29th 2008 by RichardB
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
Internet Explorer?
"You don't know the power of the dark side..."
# Posted on August 29th 2008 by Mark Harmer
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
I am careful to put anything with a provenance like IE on my machine.
There is always something buried in the code to 'call home' so Microsoft can collect the data.
It always bugs me when I turn on my home machine in the AM and something pops up like 'Microsoft just installed new software' without you knowing.
The funniest thing was a couple of years ago, I new the US feds were reading my emails under that stupid domestic spying things (for other reasons than my ITM habit). They left little bits and pieces in the code. Made a mess of things. The machine ran like cr*p. So had a geek freind fix things and put a harwdare firewall on it.
Something kept trying to get out and I got these cool diagnotsics about '///ejdkjv.er.22222...." trying to call out (if you have lime wire, you can see the sort of thing whenever you start up and it tries to call home) .
I just bought herself a new machine, have make believe ids on everything...and never ever put anything that is not totally secure on the machine. IE is always a usual suspect. Probably why the Feds can do their domesstic spying as easily as they do.
emminently hackable.
# Posted on August 29th 2008 by zippydw
Re: Internet Explorer 8
" 'Microsoft just installed new software' without you knowing".
You can always instruct the system to ask permission before upgrading or installing new software, and then it is up to the user to grant or deny that permission - this is the setup I use. Or you can just instruct the system not to carry out any upgrades at all.
# Posted on August 31st 2008 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
Not that I would ever consider installing it, but I read that IE8 allows you to browse in "secret" mode with no trail of porn-sites visited etc. being left. (All in the interests of banking safety etc. and no doubt reporting back to microshaft).
# Posted on August 31st 2008 by geoffwright
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
IE is old and busted. Even the newest version.
This is the new hotness: http://www.google.com/chrome
Google's Open Source, Privacy-enabled, Faster, Smaller-memory-footprint, Multi-Threaded, Secure browser.
I've been using it for a couple hours now, and it even seems to smoke firefox.
I never use MSIE unless I absolutely need to.
# Posted on September 4th 2008 by Georgi
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
I've been playing around with Chrome as well in the last couple of days, and like it. Google say they've been using some of the best features of open-source browsers, such as Firefox and Opera (I believe they also mentioned Safari), and this policy seems to work fine.
There are some websites around, mainly in commerce, industry, and academia, which have been written to work best with IE, so if you're in this situation IE may be the only way to go.
I think a good pollcy for a home user is to have a number of browsers to hand, and use whichever is appropriate at the time.
(I'm using Chrome at this moment.)
# Posted on September 6th 2008 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
I installed chrome yesterday, but was not impressed. I liked its simple format but withinmoments it was giving me problems with not finding addresses. I have little patience in that regard. I want it to work 'out of the box' it didnt. I am happy enough with firefox. Perhaps i may give it another shot...
# Posted on September 6th 2008 by piobagusfidil
Re: Internet Explorer 8 and Google Chrome
It's worth pointing out that both IE8 and Chrome are currently in the beta stage; which means they are still under development and being tested for problems - the programmers welcome user comments. When they come out of beta into their final form most problems should have been dealt with, the coding will be less bloated (bloated code is not uncommon in beta), and things should be quicker as a result.
A beta version can, in theory, be withdrawn or modified without warning, so it's probably not a good idea to rely on a beta for mission-critical work. This shouldn't be a concern for most domestic use ... but be aware.
# Posted on September 6th 2008 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Google Chrome and Firefox
I just tried to print out a tune gif on the Session website within the Chrome browser, but the sheet came out blank. Went back to Firefox and it printed OK.
However, I like Chrome's feature of displaying thumbnails of most visited sites when you open it or start a new tab, instead of having just one homepage.
# Posted on September 6th 2008 by Lissagriffin
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
Tell Chrome about the printing problem - that's what the beta release is for.
# Posted on September 6th 2008 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Google Chrome & Opera
I've tried printing a tune gif too (the recent Ballydesmond March), using Chrome, and got a blank page. But it printed out ok using Opera 9.50.
I've sent a report to Google Chrome.
# Posted on September 6th 2008 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
Duh, beta...... Ok good point. I will reserve judgement.
# Posted on September 6th 2008 by piobagusfidil
Re: Initernet Explorer 8
Has anyone using google's chrome actually read the EULA?
11. Content license from you
11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.
11.2 You agree that this license includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.
11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this license shall permit Google to take these actions.
11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above license.
In geekspeak: all your base are belong to us.
# Posted on September 9th 2008 by Wurzel
Re: Internet Explorer 8
I was talking to my local computer store manager today and he told me that the beta release of IE8 came with some viruses. Which explains why my routine AV scan a day or so later picked up and quarantined the 3 little beggars. leaving me wondering where they had come from.
# Posted on September 11th 2008 by Trevor Jennings