So, I decide to give IE 7 a spin, considering how much I bitched about a new version of IE. I double clickity click and of course, since I use a real OS (Windows 2003 Server) it won't install. I decide I really didn't want a new IE anyhow...
Just kidding. I happen to run Media Center on the machine in the living room, so I copy the install on it and launch away. It wants me to authenticate my windows install, to make sure I am not an awful thief. I have no concerns about this, my MSDN subscription keeps me in good standings...until, it refuses to authenticate my install because I haven't activated Windows.
There is a slight dilemma in this course of action. This beta is an MSDN download. As an MSDN subscriber, I am brutally aware that I am only allowed 10 activations per product that requires activation. (or so is the theory, I never activate Windows so I don't know for sure)
Hence the dilemma. Microsoft specifically tells us not to activate our product unless we plan on having it installed for more than the 120 days of the MSDN activation window. Now with IE7 as well as the new Windows Update, we are required to activate Windows before receiving updates. I would be 10 times over my activation limit if this had always been the case.
Look for Microsoft to have to end the activation limit on MSDN subscribers, assuming they haven't already.
So, I activate Windows, accept the licensing stuff, click next, next, etc. BAM. The installer has caused a problem and needs to be closed. Beta product, no worries. I reboot and it is working fine.
I figure I will check what other updates might be available and head to Windows Update. Which hangs. Forever. After some quick reading, this seems to be the rule, not the exception. I remember similar issues with Windows Update on SP1 beta for Windows 2003 Server, so no real worries, even considering last I looked, you still couldn't use Windows Update in the 64 bit version of IE...which has been out several years...well, in computer time anyhow.
We'll look at some of the interface options first.
It was a nice surprise to see you can choose other search options besides just MSN (you can choose Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask Jeeves or AOL search)., though the one option I actually wanted wasn't there. You can't just get rid of the damn thing. Google is, and has been for years, my home page, I don't need a search bar in my browser.
After I got past that, I noticed what many others mentioned about the File|Edit menu being below the address bar and the tabs. I actually kind of like it there, but there would only be one question to be asked. Is this going to be the way of Longhorn? Nothing is more important in an operating system, or in any application than a consistent interface. If this is not consistent with the rest of the OS, then dump it.
The next thing I noticed was the RSS reader. I know alot of people have been into the RSS thing for quite some time now, I am not so quick an adopter, but I did find the RSS reader incorporated in IE 7 to work well, and be easily used by one with such limited knowledge as myself.
While looking at the RSS Reader, I noticed a link in favorites for Internet Explorer Add-ons. I am not going to go into much detail here, but suffice it to say there is a nice variety of addons available already, similar to the nice level of addon support Firefox users are used to. The one thing I will mention, is a plethora of download managers, mentioned because this seems to be one of the things alot of non IE users hate about IE.
While we are on the interface, lets talk about tabs for a minute. The tab implementation, in my humble opinion, shows great promise, but was left half done, and so sucks. I don't know how I feel about the little 'nub' of a button that launches a new tab, many people hate it, I don't hate it, I just fall back on my previous statement about consistent User Interface. I do wish the new tab would open as my home page, instead of as about:blank. I am not sure where I want to go with my new blank tab, but going to my home page (Google) is alot more likely my destination then going to about:blank. My only other comment on the tabs is having to click an X on the OPPOSITE side of the screen to close them is about the most retarded thing I have ever seen in my life (Hello Steveb?). I know you can right click and choose close, but that is not a well flowing answer either. Either they should incorporate an X into the corner of each tab, or as a shortcut, double clicking a tab should close it. I lean towards an X in the corner of each tab (people who use GAIM will be familiar with this).
Last UI note, where the hell did my refresh button go? Yeah, I know I can just hit F5, but when in the living room, I may or may not have the keyboard near me, with everything being wireless, so sometimes it is easier to click refresh...
I know I spent alot of time on the flashy part (the UI) and no time on the important parts (standards, security, etc), but that is because the UI changes are all I see. It seems so far the only standards work they have really done is fix 2 CSS bugs, and the default settings for security is a step back from Windows XP SP1, albeit the addition of 'phishing' as a plug in gave me a nice laugh.
We've collectively as a whole asked Microsoft for a browser. We have waited so very patiently. We have received nothing. Ask them to take back this sorry excuse for a pacifistic attempt and come back when they have something to provide. I know there is much time left before IE 7 comes out in force. Much time to do the things that haven't been done. Beta 2, RC 1, RC2 etc, but it isn't that fact that disturbs me. Its the fact they did the UI first, the part that is easy. The part that can sometimes make people forget what is behind it. They say don't judge a book by its cover, but it seems by this release, Microsoft is hoping we will. I was going to install Longhorn this evening, but after looking at IE 7, I don't think I will bother.