Dean Hachamovitch, General Manager for Microsoft’s Iternet Explorer uses his blog to talk about the firm’s first major browser update since 2001.
Today we released Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP. I encourage everyone to download the final version from http://www.microsoft.com/ie.
We listened carefully to feedback from many sources (including this blog) and worked hard to deliver a safer browser that makes everyday tasks easier. When I first posted publicly about IE7, I wrote that we would go further to defend users from phishing and malicious software. The Phishing Filter and the architectural work in IE7 around networking and ActiveX opt-in will help keep users more secure. IE7 also delivers a much easier browsing experience with features like tabbed browsing (especially with QuickTabs), shrink-to-fit printing, an easily customizable search box, and a new design that leaves more screen real estate for the web site you’re viewing. IE7’s CSS improvements are incredibly important for developers as many of you have made quite clear. I also think IE7’s RSS experience and platform are important, powerful, and innovative.
In addition to our release of IE7, Yahoo! has a customized version of the browser available today and over the next few days partners such as Weather.com and USA TODAY will offer their own customized versions. These versions will tailor the user experience with specific toolbars, additional search engines, favorites, and RSS feeds.
Edward C. Baig of USA Today has more on the update and on Mozilla’s plans to release a Firefox 2.
One of the most interesting aspects of the IE vs. Firefox battle is the development of the ecosystem of extensions or add-ons. Right now firefox had a great advantage in this space but you can see microsoft trying to catch up.
Microsoft has a interesting partner in Trailfire, a recommended download for IE7. See link:
http://www.ieaddons.com/SearchResults.aspx?keywords=trailfire
But this extension is also available for firefox. See link:
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/3524/
I think the ecosystem for firefox and IE will decide who wins this battle.
Wow, such update must be a huge jump for microsoft. I guess someone in the menagement became borred by IE6 and discovered Firefox, which I would prefer for my daily browsing instead of IE7.
Thank you for sharing this story with me !