Microsoft releases long-awaited Explorer 7

Discussion in 'Technical' started by Quigley_Sharps, Oct 19, 2006.


  1. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) released Internet Explorer 7 on Wednesday, the first major upgrade to its Web browser since 2001 with new features aimed at preventing online fraud and improving ease of use.



    Microsoft's IE remains the most widely-used software to surf the Web, but the long gap between major releases allowed for the emergence of the company's most formidable browser competitor since it vanquished the once-dominant Netscape.

    Mozilla Firefox, a free open-source browser, has steadily gained users since its introduction in 2004 with features such as an integrated search window to allow users to do a Web query without opening another page, tab browsing to toggle between different sites and a pop-up window blocker.

    These features are included in the new Internet Explorer and Microsoft also touted the security improvements to the browser including color-coded warnings in the address bar to indicate whether a Web site can be trusted.

    IE 7 is available immediately to Windows XP users and it will eventually serve as the default browser for Microsoft's much-anticipated Windows Vista operating system, due out to consumers in early 2007.

    According to analysts, consumers increasingly identify the quality of an operating system with the quality of its browser and that makes a well-received browser important for Microsoft -- even if it is not sold as a separate product.

    "How would it look if Microsoft didn't have a good browser as part of Windows? It wouldn't look good," said Forrester Research analyst Colin Teubner.

    Microsoft said it is already at work on the next version of Internet Explorer to ensure that long gaps between updates do not occur again.

    "Should we have done more, sooner, earlier? It's rare to not say that in hindsight," said Dean Hachamovitch, general manager of the Internet Explorer team at Microsoft.

    Internet Explorer registered an 86 percent global share in October, Mozilla Firefox 11.5 percent and both Apple Computer Inc.'s (Nasdaq:AAPL - news) Safari and Norway's Opera Software (OPERA.OL), less than 2 percent, according to OneStat.com.

    "It's exciting to see Microsoft reenter the browser space after leaving for five years," said Christopher Beard, vice president of products for Mozilla. "It's great to see that IE is adopting the features that we popularized."

    Mozilla said it also plans to release an upgraded browser, Firefox 2, within the next few weeks.

    The upgrade will include a feature to allow users to restore work done online if the browser or PC crashes, a spell check function for e-mails or blog postings and suggestions for search queries.

    Microsoft's Windows Live is the default search engine on Internet Explorer 7, but users will have the option to change to competing search engines. In Mozilla Firefox, the default search engine in the U.S. is Google Inc. (Nasdaq:GOOG - news)

    Competitors raised objections to Microsoft making its own search engine the default setting over concern that it would unfairly drive traffic to Windows Live, but analysts said consumers will eventually gravitate toward the search engine that produces the best results.

    The new browser will be sent as an automatic security update and then users will have an option to install the new Internet Explorer onto their PC. Companies also have the option to block its workers from installing the new browser.

    IE 7 is available for download at www.microsoft.com/ie.
     
  2. 155gunner

    155gunner Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Thanks but no thanks. I will stick with Firefox.
     
  3. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Ditto!!!
     
  4. Wild Trapper

    Wild Trapper Pirate Biker

    Since the crash of my Dell, I purchased a HP laptop, it still has ie6. something and Netscape on it. The Dell had to have motherboard replaced but I did download the new ie7 and install it on it. I was not real pleased with what I saw with it. Maybe when I've had more time with it. For now I use the laptop more than the desktop.
     
  5. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    Been using Firefox for years now, since it was an early beta. Every time I have to use IE it pisses me off. I'm stickin with Firefox.
     
  6. CRC

    CRC Survivor of Tidal Waves | RIP 7-24-2015 Moderator Emeritus Founding Member


    One of my computers is a Dell....I put ie7 on it...and it would not work at all....No internet connection....The support guys said I had my security, firewall and filters set too high for it to work with the new ie...and I have my settings that high for a reason......!

    Works fine with the old one...So I took it off , cleaned it up...changed it back...and it's working fine again.

    I have Netscape on here too...and use that a lot..

    One of these days I'll get arount to putting Firefox on here...:rolleyes:
     
  7. Wild Trapper

    Wild Trapper Pirate Biker

    Firefox 2 is out now. After reading this thread I did a search and found the download. I'm trying it out now. Old habits die hard though, so I may not stay with it.[pop]
     
  8. stg58

    stg58 Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Another thumbs up on Firefox and now Firefox 2 :):D
     
  9. Wild Trapper

    Wild Trapper Pirate Biker

    One thing I have not yet been able to figure out is, "Where on the computer are the internet cache files stored?" When viewing Youtube video clips, I can't locate them to save for later viewing or copying off for friends to view.

    Can any of you Firefox users help me out? I have no problem finding these files with IE6 or IE7.
     
  10. ColtCarbine

    ColtCarbine Monkey+++ Founding Member

    :mad: likewise, I hate using IE and haven't any intentions of supporting Bill Gates anymore than I need to.
     
  11. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    Wild Trapper, the cache file is located (get ready it's a long one) in...
    <tt>
    </tt><tt>C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\e03fr6z1.default\Cache

    for some reason, my post is putting a space in the word "cache" where there shouldn't be, and I can't seem to edit it out.. weird.
    </tt> <tt>

    You can also just type into your firefox adress bar "about:cache" without the quotes of course. It will list everything in your cache and allow you to view it, but I like the old fashioned way better.
    </tt>
     
  12. Wild Trapper

    Wild Trapper Pirate Biker

    Found them, but with one small difference, instead of being in \Administrator\ I found them in the one labeled John (I'm the one signed in), also there doesn't seem to be any extensions like .flv Once I figured out which one they had to be from the size and gave them an extension I was able to open them with FLVPlayer. Then I can convert them to run in the Media player to be viewed or made into a video that can be watched in a DVD player.

    Something else, I've noticed there is a built in spell checker that flags misspelled words, but does it have a hot key to run a spell search for possible corrections?[banghead] Sorry to be so full of questions. I'm just a little confused after using IE for years now.[dunno] I have ieSpell in IE6 and 7 so when I remember to run it before I submit my replies, I am able to catch most of my errors.
     
  13. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    There are several spell checker plugins for firefox

    http://spellbound.sourceforge.net/ is one. Do a google for "spellchecker firefox" and you'll get lots of options.
     
  14. Wild Trapper

    Wild Trapper Pirate Biker

    I tried the download of spellbound and found it would not install into Firefox 2. One good reason it wouldn't is, it already has a built in spell checker, I just had to learn how to use it. I switched to Firefox for my default browser now, as all the download extensions make it so much more useful than IE.
     
  15. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    Yeah, I guess that native spellchecker would make the extension rather unnecessary [dunno] sorry, didn't know.

    Glad to hear your on board w/ firefox now though, it beats the crap out of IE.
     
  16. Infidel

    Infidel Guest

    Firefox and Thunderbird are pissing me off

    type "russian"

    what is the default checkered correction?

    that's right....
     
  17. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    I'm sorry, I don't quite understand. Type "russian" where, in the adress bar? I don't get anything, but then I am still using 1.5
     
  18. Infidel

    Infidel Guest

    no. Firefox 2. type russian anywhere in the body of a reply to a post and you get "Prussian" as the first choice of a correction

    I guess it is because P is before R in English alphabet, but they are adding additional letter before r so it shoudl be below not above
     
  19. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Try it with a proper capital "R" and see if that helps.
     
  20. TexasDoc

    TexasDoc Monkey+++ Founding Member

    IE 7 Sucks and its a virus to boot it set off my Virus scan over 34 times .

    Doc
     
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