Internet Explorer 7
Before I begin, I must say that I don’t prefer to use Internet Explorer. I use Firefox as my primary browser and I much prefer it over Internet Explorer, but I’ll admit that Microsoft has done pretty good with version 7. If you use Windows XP and are still using IE6, I’d recommend upgrading it to IE7. I have had it on my laptop for a while, but have hardly ever used it. The program came through as automatic update a few months ago, an action which I thought was a tad irresponsible of Microsoft. They called it a security update and pushed it out to everyone. If you chose not to allow the update, perhaps because you didn’t want to be forced to run the Genuine Windows (GWA) validation check, then there is a workaround for that issue on this page, effectively allowing you to install IE7 anyway. I have tried the instructions for that workaround on my desktop PC and it was a complete success.
After I recently upgraded my desktop machine to IE7, I actually tried using it for a night. In fact, I am using it right now as I write post to my blog, something I never normally do. I have to say I am fairly impressed with it. IE6 had become a dinosaur years ago. The new version can render pages much more quickly than its ancient predecessor. Tabbed browsing has finally arrived to IE, although a few years late in the game. Security is supposed to be tighter than the swiss cheese that plagued IE6. Time will tell on the security situation. One thing I do like about version 7 is how it behaves in full-screen mode. When you enter this mode, the browser window literally consumes the whole screen. The live web page reaches all the way up to the highest pixel. Impressive.
A long time ago, before Firefox, I used an overlay program for IE (now called Maxthon) to add tabs and a better interface. What Microsoft has now finally built into IE7 looks to me to be better than what the overlay program once was. The clean, uncluttered interface and overall polish of IE7 certainly deserves a nod. If you like using IE and haven’t yet upgraded, you should do so, and not look back.
