Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer v8 for Windows XP 8.0 Beta 1  beta

Publisher's Description:

Internet Explorer 8 takes the Web experience beyond the page and introduces a new way to seamlessly experience the power of the Web whether you are a Web developer writing to standards, or an end user discovering a new online service. This beta release is available to everyone, but is primarily for Web developers and designers to test the new tools, layout engine, and programming enhancements.

Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer v8 has the following other editions available: Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer v8 for Windows Vista/2008, Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer v8 for Windows Vista/2008 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer v8 for Windows 2003 and Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer v8 for Windows XP/2003 (64-bit).

Latest User Reviews:

Reviewer:	Psychocrusha	Mar 25, 2008
Version:	8.0 Beta 1
No need to install this on a pc; a lot better of with IE6 or 7. Can't even use windows updates unless you use the IE7 emulator, which then you have to restart the browser every time you fool with it. Maybe the final version will be less buggy and problems cleared up.
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Reviewer:	sqstultz	Mar 8, 2008
Version:	8.0 Beta 1
Major rendering problems and instability with our enterprise library card cataloging web-based application (which is W3C-compliant). More like an alpha build, due to the behavior that we experienced. The only plus is that we were able to uninstall it and easily move back to IE7.
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Reviewer:	Ian C.	Mar 8, 2008
Version:	8.0 Beta 1
Don't install this if you use IE as your primary browser. The rendering engine is very buggy, and sites that use javascript rarely work. The IE 7 and 5.5 compatibility modes that it has, don't seem to function anything like you would expect. Definately not on par with the kind of beta releases you see from Firefox and Opera, not even on par with their alpha releases. On the upside, it's very fast.
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Reviewer:	Ryusennin	Mar 7, 2008
Version:	8.0 Beta 1
Icing on the cake: IE8 is not even compatible with Microsoft Update (unless you switch to IE7 mode, which defeats the purpose of this "new" browser).
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Reviewer:	psycros	Mar 7, 2008
Version:	8.0 Beta 1
You know their worried when IE8 imports Firefox bookmarks with no corruption (more than I can say for the reverse operation!). The Bookmarks Toolbar Folder is still not copied to the Favorites bar (sigh), which is bizarre since their identical features. One of IE's strengths has always been the Favorites system which, for several versions now, has been far easier to work with than Mozilla's clumsy Bookmarks. The way they've implemented their sidebar is interesting: having an unpinned option is kinda neat. RSS feed handling is not quite as simple as with Firefox but at least you get dynamic width on feeds viewed as drop-downs (yay!). It does seem to be more like a beta of "IE 7.5" than of a truly new version. Its a little faster, more full-featured, and theres a button to switch back to IE7 mode (which they highlight upon first execution). It did not automatically dump an IE icon on the desktop, thank you. This is, however, most definitely a beta. A number of interface quirks keep it from being a potential FF killer. No matter how you resize or customize the thing, a couple bar buttons are only available via a pop-out menu on the right side - why? If you open a feed as a drop-down menu you have to click to close it, then click to open another one. In FF mousing between feeds will will open and close them automatically (like most Windows menus, including the menu bar in IE8). And there are bugs, such as UI refresh problems when rearranging things and occasionally slow rendering. Some ActiveX pages are clearly not ready for this browser. I'm still putting it through its paces and have yet to hit any serious web forms or similar challenges. Overall, a promising glimpse at what might be.
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