Internet Explorer 9 beta to arrive in September

[Archean]

Sometimes I am perplexed at continual propagation of people about 'open source' software, if it is good I see no issue with it, if it is 'average/below expectations / sub par' I don't really care about it, e.g. I've tried various free/open source incarnations of office suites, but none of them worth switching to (including Google's stupid docs).

I think people entirely miss the point that 'free and open source' doesn't mean best all the time.

 

[Leeky]

Sometimes I am perplexed at continual propagation of people about 'open source' software, if it is good I see no issue with it, if it is 'average/below expectations / sub par' I don't really care about it, e.g. I've tried various free/open source incarnations of office suites, but none of them worth switching to (including Google's stupid docs).

I think people entirely miss the point that 'free and open source' doesn't mean best all the time.

I totally agree.

As much as I love Linux I still have W7, and I still use Office 2007 every single day. I still haven't found a good enough replacement for Outlook for all my IMAP email addresses.

Openoffice is good, I use this quite a lot too, but I still always find myself using Word, Excel and Outlook regardless. Until Openoffice can make a program to rival Outlook and include it I'll continue to use Office as well.

That said, I do use software like Gimp, FileZilla, Tunnelier, VLC and MagicDisk to name a few.

Openoffice just isn't at a point of being able to replace my Microsoft Office though. It needs email software before that can happen.

 

[Archean]

Well the some free/open source software I've been using for ages:

1. FireFox / Minefield / Opera
2. Media Player Home Cinema (earlier x86 and since last year x64)
3. Foxit (much better than that bloatware called Acrobat)
4. Partition Wizard

Windows Live Mail is OK, but I agree nothing beats Outlook for now, I've tried Mozilla's Thunderbird but couldn't stick with it for long.

 

[Leeky]

Well the some free/open source software I've been using for ages:

1. FireFox / Minefield / Opera
2. Media Player Home Cinema (earlier x86 and since last year x64)
3. Foxit (much better than that bloatware called Acrobat)
4. Partition Wizard

Windows Live Mail is OK, but I agree nothing beats Outlook for now, I've tried Mozilla's Thunderbird but couldn't stick with it for long.

I forgot firefox. lol.

I find Acrobat 9.20 Professional to be pretty quick - I use it all the time. I did consider free alternatives, but I guess my main reason for keeping to it is the amount I paid for it. lol.

I agree with mail. I've tried everything, thunderbird is too complex for everyday use, and I've tried every single linux alternative, including gnome's and KDE's default versions.

Outlook is far superior in every respect and that, along with needing Windows for studying are the only two reasons I still have a Windows install. Once they're sorted and replacements are found I'd use Linux 24/7. I hope one day I can move across fully, but until then I'll enjoy the best of both worlds.

 

[DarkCobra]

Sadly, unless MS comes up with a whole new platform they will have zero chance of bettering Firefox or Chrome. They have rested far too long on the same old platforms for their operating system, browser and office suite. Each release now is little more than cosmetic tweak of an earlier version.

Vista - Windows 7, Explorer 7 - 8 - 9, Office 2003 - 2007 - 20010 . . . all pretty much the same dance, just a different tune. At some point MS has to stop freshening old existing platforms and start developing entirely new modern ones. Until they do, third parties are going to continue to overtake them.

 

[Tedster]

I think about the only thing I've used IE for in many years is for windows updates. That's it.

 

[Darth Shiv]

madboyv1 said:
I use Firefox and Internet Explorer full time, with significant preference to Firefox, so I say this as a Firefox user: Thank you IE team for keeping up (at least trying to) so my browser can get better and better (hopefully).

I'm not sure any serious browser team has many things to look at IE for for inspiration.

 

[james7533]

Leeky said:

I think if IE9 delivers performance within 50ms as stated in that news bit, it would give good run for the money to other players, and that is pretty good. I think it is about time MS get back to innovation and focus on customer needs, because if they can do that, I don't see them losing dominant position in browser market any time soon. If on the contrary, they are unable to deliver tangible improvements, ..... I guess we already know how FF got from 0% to where it is now in just few years time, and rest of the competitors will also pounce on them.

I think its possibly too little too late for Microsoft on this front. They've had years to develop IE but its steadily got worse. In the meantime many others have massively improved and taken users with them.

I use IE for one thing: To connect to my EPC on one of the Virtualbox installs. I use Firefox for absolutely everything else. Though I have to say Opera is persuading me these days, but no matter how good IE became, I wouldn't even consider going back to them.

I'd be suprised if the majority of those that left IE in their wake wouldn't feel the same.

Yes, i would agree with you 110%. I never use IE8 just because it bogs down the laptop and firefox just runs so much more smoothly for me. I unfortunately have to use IE to access my college email and register for classes. If i could only remove it from my system entirely i would be happy to be rid of it. They purposely tied it in to the O.S. thought because they realized how terrible it was so they made it that it is now dam near impossible to get rid of. If it is even possible without totally destabilizing your O.S. Although I do feel comfortable saying that i feel ok using it on my desktop which runs Windows 7 while my laptop is Vista 32-bit. Ok only until i realize my mistake and close out what im doing to open up fire fox that is.

 

[kosuruvr]

Well! Most people are against internet explorer. For all its faults ( I am not sure about, how many and how much faulty), it is indispensable. Well, there are some websites that have been optimized for IE only and they will not work in any other browser. I have tried all other browsers - ff, chrome, safari etc. The only application that is near to IE in performance is Avant, Of course this works as add on to IE. May some one correct me if I am mistaken.