Besides sucking the bottom of the web browser barrel when it comes to browser performance and standards, IE has also had the unlucky glory of looking like trash. The UI was horrible, slow, and clunky. With each new version end users hoped for progress. But instead, Microsoft laughed in their faces and continued on their “our way is the only way” tirade, acting as if their browser was the only browser that mattered and that these silly “browser wars” were below them.
But perhaps Microsoft is finally starting to see the light. Performance in early test builds of IE 9 have shown that there’s potential for some pretty awesome performance. But the oh so sought after new UI that Redmond has hinted to has so far gone unseen…until now.
The image above was found on a Russian site. It doesn’t say outright that this is IE9. For all we know it could be a rendering. But if it is legit, I can finally tip my hat (if I had a hat on that is) to Microsoft. IE9 looks pretty slick. There’s a few alignment issues and other minor button/tab/box placements that could be worked on. Though overall it’s leaps and bounds better than their previous vane attempts.
What do the readers think? If this is IE9, would you use it?
I never thought I’d utter the words, “Microsoft’s IEx is faster than Chrome, Opera, and on par with Firefox. Such things just don’t sound right in a world where we constantly mock Microsoft for their sub standard browser offering. But the IE9 preview is changing those past misconceptions.
When thrown head to head with Firefox 3.7 and latest version of Chrome and Opera, IE9 actually topped all but Firefox in pure HTML5 speed. That’s pretty huge considering the web is racing towards HTML5 as the next go-to standard of standards.
Of course, you have to keep in mind the history of each browser as well. Microsoft IE9 may eventually top everyone when it’s officially released, but look at how often Microsoft actually upgrades their browsers. While Chrome, Opera, and Firefox can be measured in months between upgrades, Microsoft can stretch the time between major upgrades by years.
They may be the fastest now, but that will all change come 4-5 months down the line when everyone else in the browser party picks up and moves on, leaving IE9 to wallow in self pity and irrelevance once again.
With that, hop inside and check out a video showing the four browsers dukin’ it out…
- November 17, 2009 3:14 pm
We’ll just start off this post asking one question: How do you like Internet Explorer? Hell, I’m feeling generous, all current versions are up for debate — 6, 7, and 8.
With that aside, today at the Professional Developers Conference, Chief Architect Ray Ozzie revealed a few concessions that the next gen Microsoft browser is in fact in the works. He didn’t however highlight any feature in particular. For that we’ll have to wait until tomorrow’s keynote. Also, before you get all hot and bothered searching for a download, we must stress that test code of any kind is not being released today or tomorrow. So stop looking. It’s strictly an informational event. Bummer.
While today’s keynote was a bust, tomorrow is looking to be more fruitful with Ozzie going a little deeper into “focus areas” for IE 9. After IE 8, many started speculating that Microsoft was going to make the move to a web-kit based rendering engine. I for one would greatly appreciate such a move as their current platform as a whole is terrible. And I know I’m not alone. When a new browser can’t even muster a 25% on a web standards compliance test, it is dead, outdated, and crap in my book. Will IE 9 finally see Microsoft accepting the cold hard reality that they need to abandon their current ventures?
Unfortunate for many, Microsoft denounced rumors that they were moving to or even looking at a future move to a web-kit engine. Sad for us, all around bad for them. Still, I’m eager to know more about their next browser and what they will do to surpass the likes of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and several other smaller yet highly capable browsers.
What do you think is coming to IE 9? Share it below..
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