Internet Explorer 8 final at noon EDT

Robert Hallock 19 Mar, 2009 at 10:33am ET Article published in Tech

Microsoft has announced that Internet Explorer 8’s final version will be released to the world during the east coast’s noon hour.

Microsoft’s press release gives the details best:

Today Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of Windows Internet Explorer 8, the new Web browser that offers the best solution for how people use the Web today. It can be downloaded in 25 languages at http://www.microsoft.com/ie8 starting at noon EDT on March 19. Internet Explorer 8 is easier to use, faster and offers leading-edge security features in direct response to people’s increasing concerns about online safety. A new study commissioned by Microsoft and the National Cyber Security Alliance and conducted by Harris Interactive Inc. shows that 91 percent of adults in the U.S. are concerned about online threats in the current economic climate, and 78 percent are more likely to choose a Web browser with built-in security than they were two years ago.

And there you have it! If you’re going to brave IE8 final, be sure to report your experiences back to us in the comment section.

Comments

19 Mar 2009 ~ 10:48am Linc Hang onto your butts!
19 Mar 2009 ~ 10:53am Zuntar

Lincoln wrote:

Hang onto your butts!
19 Mar 2009 ~ 11:14am MiracleManS I'm poised to download at the stroke of noon
19 Mar 2009 ~ 12:10pm Thrax /me looks disdainfully upon IE8 from high above the internets in Castle Firefox.
19 Mar 2009 ~ 1:39pm Mirage Good news! This means that Windows 7 release is getting closer in which I will use Firefox
19 Mar 2009 ~ 1:42pm Stu Just tried it, very fast browser, seems pretty good.

I would be tempted to make it my primary browser, were I not running *nix
19 Mar 2009 ~ 1:48pm MiracleManS I'm a little put off by some of the things in it. It is a definite improvement over 7, especially with regards to tabs. New tabs don't take 10 seconds to load now, instead opting to load in less than a second.
19 Mar 2009 ~ 1:50pm Linc I don't give a crap about the interface, I'm just glad it doesn't need a separate style sheet!
19 Mar 2009 ~ 2:19pm MiracleManS As nice as that is, you KNOW there are people *coughTimcough* who are going to be running IE6/7/DeathTrapVersion for the next 10 years.
19 Mar 2009 ~ 4:05pm Zuntar I see what you did there.;)
19 Mar 2009 ~ 4:32pm mas0n I like what I see so far and will install it on all my Windows systems, but it's going to be hard for anyone to pull me away from Firefox as my primary browser. Even Chrome doesn't cut it. FF is fast, secure, reliable, and you just can't beat the vast sea of plugins/skins/extensions.
19 Mar 2009 ~ 4:55pm Mirage It is soooo slow .... without Adblock plus. I have seen the wild side of Internet again while trying IE8 today; flashing animations at every edge of the web pages. Back to Firefox, serenity now!
19 Mar 2009 ~ 5:58pm Linc As someone trying to earn their living via the ads you're blocking, I don't have much sympathy.
19 Mar 2009 ~ 6:49pm Mirage Actually, I have sympathy to your position. If there is a way to eliminate only the interactive, animated adds but not the decent text/image ads please post here. The empty ad frames on the web pages do not look good too. But I cannot accept to wait for aggressive ads, their bloated data transfers from/to ad servers, and their tracking cookies. Problem can be solved if you host your own text/image adds with a simple link since those are not filtered. Am I still too selfish?
19 Mar 2009 ~ 10:36pm Mochan The only way I'd even consider using IE8 is if there is something like Foxmarks which allows me to sync bookmarks between different PCs. I'd be lost without that one.

Firefox's extensions are just too handy for me to give up. I even have a site-specific extension for Gamefaqs that *really* helps me out in the forums there. I can't imagine going back to a browser like the one on my iPhone that doesn't have all that capability.
19 Mar 2009 ~ 11:39pm RADA Can't DL - guess the site is too busy...
20 Mar 2009 ~ 2:16am DrLiam

Lincoln wrote:

As someone trying to earn their living via the ads you're blocking, I don't have much sympathy.

mirage wrote:

Actually, I have sympathy to your position. If there is a way to eliminate only the interactive, animated adds but not the decent text/image ads please post here. The empty ad frames on the web pages do not look good too. But I cannot accept to wait for aggressive ads, their bloated data transfers from/to ad servers, and their tracking cookies. Problem can be solved if you host your own text/image adds with a simple link since those are not filtered. Am I still too selfish?

I use AdBlock myself and I only disable it on sites I frequent/support. I feel comfortable with my system and honestly, strategically blocking only aggressive ads is something you have to be willing to spend time on. Are you too selfish? I think the question is more, are you willing to take the time to make AdBlocker work for you?

P.S. - I can say disabling ABP on Icrontic has never given my any problems.
20 Mar 2009 ~ 3:48am Snarkasm NoScript will help block the RIDICULOUSLY aggressive flash ads and whatnot, but still allow other things through.
20 Mar 2009 ~ 11:47am Mochan I actually don't use AdBlock, I just use NoScript. NoScript stops the annoying things like popups and other scripts that really slow some sites down. I don't really bother with banner ads and the like.

NoScript also blocks some other useful things but that's when you put in exceptions.