IE 8

quandam · Jun 10, 2009, 09:00:29

Hi! Guys

Downloaded IE 8 last evening and first impressions are very good indeed

I would say that it appears to be a lot quicker than FF, am I right? Have you guys any thoughts re pluses and minuses of IE8 against FF

Can you keep it simple please.

Many thanks

Rik · Jun 10, 2009, 09:57:39

I'll keep it dead simple, Q, I haven't tried it so I don't know.

Den · Jun 10, 2009, 10:45:26

I have been using IE8 for some time and like it very much and in fact prefer it to FF. Its very smooth to run and I prefer the way favorites are used compared to bookmarks.

Noreen · Jun 10, 2009, 10:52:43

At the moment I've hidden the update while I find out more about it and think about whether I want to install it. At the moment I'm thinking that it's perhaps early days.

I've read somewhere that "Favorites" have been changed, would somebody explain the change please.

john · Jun 10, 2009, 12:16:05

I've been running IE8 for several weeks now and it works fine, does everything I want it to do and probably a lot more as there are many options I've not investigated yet. I prefer it to FF but that may be because I was used to using IE7.

The only issue that I've noticed, and it's not really a problem, is that when I click on the 'more smileys' option in Idnetters I don't see the first few smileys in the pop-up window, however if I close the window and open it again everything is normal.

Simon · Jun 10, 2009, 12:24:48

I had a quick flirt with IE8 the other night, and also found that some images didn't appear without a refresh.

kinmel · Jun 10, 2009, 12:32:53

I have found numerous problems when installing addons ....... this message often appears too An error occurred. An error occured while that page was being displayed. Someone is looking into this problem. Thanks for your patience.

Even their error messages have errors. 2 different spellings for "occurred"

It is symptomatic of Microsoft, throw it out of the door, fix it later and of course any flaws will be subjected to intense scrutiny by the hackers too.

I will stick to FF and Safari. Firefox 3.5 is out early next month, that will lift the bar even higher

bobleslie · Jun 10, 2009, 12:40:38

I always test new versions of IE once released. I've always found it wanting wrt FF, and 8 is no exception.

Besides, IE is, and always has been, a SPAM magnet which I don't appreciate.

Ray · Jun 10, 2009, 12:51:00

I've tried IE 8 out on my XP machine and found page loading to be very slow when compared to FF, though it does appear to run much faster and more smoothly on a machine running the 64bit RC of Windows 7 as does FF, Overall I still prefer FF though.

quandam · Jun 10, 2009, 16:18:24

Thanks for the info all

Certainly food for thought

Sebby · Jun 10, 2009, 18:38:41

Quote from: Sheltieuk on Jun 10, 2009, 12:51:00
I've tried IE 8 out on my XP machine and found page loading to be very slow when compared to FF, though it does appear to run much faster and more smoothly on a machine running the 64bit RC of Windows 7 as does FF, Overall I still prefer FF though.

That's no surprise, Ray, it is the slowest browser out there, officially. FF is much quicker.

Dopamine · Jun 10, 2009, 18:43:11

I use Avant but have experimented with all the popular browsers: IE 6/7/8, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Opera, Maxthon, Avant. I always come back to Avant for two reasons: the tool bars and general clutter can be made smaller than any other browser, thereby giving me the greatest amount of usable browsing window, and it has the best variety of mouse gestures, something which I cannot now live without.

IE8 works well but for me is virtually indistinguishable from IE7. In everyday use I've seen no noticeable speed difference between it, IE7 or any other browser, although I dare say that the really keen will be able to measure differences in milliseconds - hardly relevant in everyday use for the average user. I've installed and used IE8 on XP and Vista machines with no problem and have not experienced any of the variety of problems mentioned elsewhere, many I'm sure being due to users' machines rather than IE8 or web page coding.

The only browser that offered something really new was Chrome, which runs each tab in a separate process so that should any one tab freeze or break, it can be ended without the need to shut down the entire browser. That's a feature I'd like to see incorporated in every browser.

Sebby · Jun 10, 2009, 18:44:40

I must admit, I'm looking forward to the release of Google Chrome for Mac. At first, I was very sceptical about a Google browser, but it's definitely innovative, and very fast.

Simon · Jun 10, 2009, 22:30:50

Quote from: Sebby on Jun 10, 2009, 18:44:40
I must admit, I'm looking forward to the release of Google Chrome for Mac. At first, I was very sceptical about a Google browser, but it's definitely innovative, and very fast.

It would worry me, how much data they are harvesting every time I used it.

Sebby · Jun 10, 2009, 22:38:17

Yeah, that is a concern...

JB · Jun 11, 2009, 08:46:42

The SRW Iron version of Chrome is reported to have had all the Google 'extras' removed from the open source code before being compiled.

http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_faq.php

I am using it now and also on my Sammy NC10. It loads very quickly and is fast. There is a form of ad-block available but as yet it hasn't reached the level of support as other browsers. I was finding Firefox getting a bit bloated these days. Looking forward to trying out FF V3.5.

There isn't any Mac support as yet.

I quite like SRW Iron for general browsing.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 10:20:45

Useful to know, JB.

How are you finding the new theme on the Sammy?

JB · Jun 11, 2009, 13:06:49

I'm in Spain atm Rik and using the Sammy outside the house on WiFi most of the time. The theme seems fine to me though. Certainly I haven't noticed any quirks that have made me want to boot to FF.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 13:20:22

That's OK, then. Needless to say, it was tested on a Sammy locally.