On May 7th 2003, Microsoft announced that Internet Explorer 6.0 would be the last stand-alone version of the long-lived browser. The IE project lead at the time (Brian Countryman) promised that Internet Explorer would be incrementally updated as Microsoft pumped out new versions of Windows. However, the success of the Mozilla Foundation's Firefox forced a serious re-think. For the first time in many years, a non-Microsoft browser was gaining serious market share directly at the expense of IE.

At the 2005 RSA Conference in San Francisco, Microsoft boss Bill Gates announced that Microsoft had reopened development on Internet Explorer, and that developers should ready themselves for a summer beta.

Neowin takes a look at just what we can expect from this surprise browser refresh by reviewing Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1.

View: Neowin Reviews Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1

Neowin ed adds ; Welcome Paul to the Neowin news staff :)


There are 52 additional comments
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(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by Gowcra on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:35
YAY!!!! Good news
Quote this comment #1.1 Posted by Knight' on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:38
Did read the review, or was that a coded way of saying Firefox rules?
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by thenay on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:37
I wasn't too impressed with Beta 1, I think i'll wait til Beta 2 and see if its good then and then i'll try final. I might just stick to IE6 or use Firefox when it makes the favourites act like IE.
Quote this comment #2.1 Posted by DRKWDS on 08 Aug 2005 - 23:44
Use Netscape 8.03.1. Bugs have been fixed and the auto rendering of either IE or Gecko make it a better choice over stand alone IE or Fire Fox. Very customizable. IE7 does not render some pages properly and the FF extension "open in IE" is redundant. Try Netscape.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by [DGS] on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:42
LOL Gowcra.. this is not news
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by Angel Blue01 on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:43
I'd liek to point out that IE5 came out on March 18, 1999.

It is still a beta. It will improve.
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by Quick Reply on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:51
Internet Explorer hasn't been standalone since IE4/Windows 98. It has since then, been integrated into the OS.
Quote this comment #5.1 Posted by vertigosity on 08 Aug 2005 - 16:13
Nyet, IE4 on Win95 without the Active Desktop installed could be considered standalone. But Win98 uses the Active Desktop, so it doesn't quite count.
Quote this comment #5.2 Posted by Angel Blue01 on 08 Aug 2005 - 17:06
Good point. I remember installign it on April 4, 1998. It was great.
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by Netrack on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:57
how can you do a review on a beta?
Quote this comment #6.1 Posted by Fanon on 08 Aug 2005 - 13:33
That was my exact first thought when seeing the headline.
Quote this comment #6.2 Posted by Solarix on 08 Aug 2005 - 23:25
its easy you you use your brain and say hey this is what i think of the program so far...
Quote this comment #6.3 Posted by Octol on 09 Aug 2005 - 11:31
QUOTE
its easy you you use your brain and say hey this is what i think of the program so far...

Fine, but how do you account for moronic statements in a first beta 'review' like:

QUOTE
...can we honestly back a new version of IE when there are alternative products on the market offering so much more?

Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by Colin-uk on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:57
nice read, (insert thumbs up smily here) (Y)
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by kravex on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:58
Someone tried to send me the file over Messenger and I got theis message:

XXX tried to send you a file (en_IE7_B1_4_XPSP2.exe). This file has been blocked because it is potentially unsafe.


I belive thats Irony...

(and I know its because its an .exe before you start)
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #9 Posted by RazorD on 08 Aug 2005 - 12:59
I *really* hate the way the file, edit and stuff comes underneath the tabs
Quote this comment #9.1 Posted by Jstphish on 08 Aug 2005 - 23:38
You might want to get use to it because, according to the Vista screenshots I've seen, all of the file menus are not in their usual locations if there at all.
Quote this comment #9.2 Posted by 8-n-1 on 09 Aug 2005 - 12:24
So moving the menu bars is how we make software look updated??

Oooo, before I could only move the button bar and the Links bar... now I can move the menu bar TOO!
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #10 Posted by Gowcra on 08 Aug 2005 - 13:06
Ohh my bad, sorry guys and no im not a ff fan boy
Quote this comment #10.1 Posted by The Grasshopper on 08 Aug 2005 - 13:26
me neither. i am not impressed with a browser that looks exactly like IE. why does it have to look like ie. couldn't an original come up w/something different?
MSN Explorer looks nothing like IE...get what i mean?
Quote this comment #10.2 Posted by Angel Blue01 on 08 Aug 2005 - 17:07
I only like browsers that look like IE.
Quote this comment #10.3 Posted by 8-n-1 on 09 Aug 2005 - 12:24
How exactly does FF look "exactly like IE"?

Did you install the IE Theme, maybe? Where do you find tabbed browsing on IE6?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #11 Posted by JoDaddy on 08 Aug 2005 - 13:31
The refresh/stop button is WAY too small. I think I could get used to the File menu being in the new place, though. And I also like the way they have combined the back/forward buttons. Someway to scroll backward and forward through the tabs would be nice (like the review talked about). Everyone knows that tabs and CSS support will be built in, but the only thing that will make me switch is if they add Super Drag'n Drop like in Maxthon. I seriously use that and will not be switching unless it's in there. Has anyone noticed that IE7 makes MSN Spaces look wierd?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #12 Posted by bush on 08 Aug 2005 - 14:13
this "catch-up" thing. well, it's good, isn't it? you just choose the best features, that most people appeal to.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #13 Posted by Sticktron on 08 Aug 2005 - 14:31
They should have showcased the shiny new Longhorn-style tabs that are hidden inside IE7.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #14 Posted by darkhooda on 08 Aug 2005 - 14:36
I don't like how the back and forward buttons are placed differently, and although they have ctrl-tab, they still don't have ctrl-f4... They should make theirs more like Opera, with a lot of important functionality like mouse gestures and rockers and ad blocking (possibly, not absolutely required) integrated. Until then I'll stick to Opera and Firefox.
Quote this comment #14.1 Posted by JoDaddy on 09 Aug 2005 - 17:18
CTRL+F4 works for me...
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #15 Posted by unbalance on 08 Aug 2005 - 15:11
thats impressive, not one flame about IE, good show!

right, i havent seen IE7 cept for some images ripped from videos. so anyone got any piccys they wanna share??
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #16 Posted by AminoSC on 08 Aug 2005 - 15:13
I actually like the beta of IE 7. It's nice. I like the layout. Takes some getting used to but I likey.
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #17 Posted by nic on 08 Aug 2005 - 15:22
I thought beta 1 of IE 7 was ok. It is better then IE 6, but I hate how mixed up the toolbars are. Why can't microsoft keep to any freaken standards they keep in an OS? Why does EVERYTHING microsoft put out have to look different! Windows Media Player, Office 2000/XP/2003, Windows Movie Maker, and on and on...all have a different look and feel.

IDIOTS!

Quote this comment #17.1 Posted by Jstphish on 08 Aug 2005 - 23:43
That's because they have different teams working on different projects. It also shows either their upper management can't keep their teams on the same page or microsoft just really doesn't care about standards (oh wait, look at IE, hahaha).
Quote this comment #17.2 Posted by Bwizzel-B on 09 Aug 2005 - 01:15
Why can't M$FT adhere to practically ANY browser standards?

Screw IE7, I only use it for Sharepoint functionality at work.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #18 Posted by M2Ys4U on 08 Aug 2005 - 15:28
My very first impression when I opened the browser was "Wow, this looks so much like Firefox, except they've moved the menubar"
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #19 Posted by postoasted on 08 Aug 2005 - 15:52
I'm using a 19" CRT monitor with the screen resolution set to 800 x 600. When I went to read the review I had to scroll from left to right and back again. That really sucked. I won't set my monitor to a higher resolution because my eyesight ain't what it use to be. Anyway, about IE7. Yeah I've tried it and I use it whenever FF has some glitches rendering pages. And that's the only time I use it.
Quote this comment #19.1 Posted by nic on 08 Aug 2005 - 19:11
if your eye sight isn't what it use to be, you should be taking advantage of a higher resolution with larger fonts. That would be a lot easier on your eyes then a super aliased 800x600 screen.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #20 Posted by azz0r_wugg on 08 Aug 2005 - 16:24
They need to add an option to have the tab bar at the bottom.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #21 Posted by Syphonic on 08 Aug 2005 - 16:24
Hrm, 'should be totally customisable like Opera, Firefox and Safari'. Last time I used Opera I couldn't move the toolbars. That = Fail.
Quote this comment #21.1 Posted by virtorio on 08 Aug 2005 - 20:55
Maybe you should look harder next time:
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #22 Posted by neufuse on 08 Aug 2005 - 16:32
neowin, please geez, don't review a beta which microsoft itself said not all the features will be in until beta 2... wait for beta 2!... It's still missing a bunch of rendering fixes, and other features they are still working on. just like Vista beta 1, a lot is missing!
Quote this comment #22.1 Posted by Marduk on 08 Aug 2005 - 18:43
Agreed, I don't love IE, I'm more of a Firefox fanboi if anything, but I don't really like it when a place reviews a beta 1 and sticks it on the front page, it is INDEED BETA1 good sir.
Quote this comment #22.2 Posted by Jason on 08 Aug 2005 - 18:55
I'm not a fan of reviews in general, I would rather make up my own opinion that go by some other person.
Quote this comment #22.3 Posted by vetMr magoo on 08 Aug 2005 - 18:58
Come on guys - seriously. If you don't want to read it, don't read it! Its that bloody simple!

Thankfully, there are members interested in what Microsoft is doing at the moment. We know it is a beta, but it is a preview of where things are going. The path taken and all that? We'll be looking at most of Microsoft's beta offerings over the coming months, so if ye don't like it, take a hike!
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #23 Posted by azz0r_wugg on 08 Aug 2005 - 16:34
I cannot reply to stickrons comment

QUOTE
They should have showcased the shiny new Longhorn-style tabs that are hidden inside IE7.


Pics?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #24 Posted by theyarecomingforyou on 08 Aug 2005 - 17:23
Why is the font size for the article so small? I think it should be brought up to the size of the main news article text.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #25 Posted by brianshapiro on 08 Aug 2005 - 18:24
does IE7 get rid of the Search sidebar, because it now has the search bar, or is it still there?
Quote this comment #25.1 Posted by virtorio on 08 Aug 2005 - 20:57
I'm pretty sure that it is still there (although I only took a quick look), but who knows for how long.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #26 Posted by bucko on 08 Aug 2005 - 18:28
Nice review but remember it's beta1. It's nice that they are making it better but they can do a lot more. PNG transperant support is brilliant. I will be forcing everyone to upgrade to IE7 (if there on XP SP2) but I will still mention FireFox.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #27 Posted by Robz on 09 Aug 2005 - 08:40
theres a lot of bugs in the beta, i found it very frustrating to have tabs on top, and the address bar above it. having gotten used to firefox, i would prefer to be able to customise it how i want it to look. it doesnt know which toolbar is which and also seems to be slower than firefox in speed of browsing, it does show progress though
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #28 Posted by AethylFilth on 09 Aug 2005 - 12:23
TRANSPARENT .PNG SUPPORT GODDAMN
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #29 Posted by 8-n-1 on 09 Aug 2005 - 12:27
QUOTE
In keeping with the Vista like changes to the interface, the 'file' context menus and utility function buttons move to the bottom row of the control set.


Errrr, guys? A context menu is a menu that changes depending on the context... hence the name. E.g., the right-mouseclick menu is called a Context Menu because its contents change depending on what you're clicking on. What you're talking about is the Menu Bar.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #30 Posted by JoDaddy on 09 Aug 2005 - 17:24
where could i get a list of keyboard shortcuts in IE7, wihout just punching keys to see what happens?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #31 Posted by Sn4k36 on 10 Aug 2005 - 17:32
I don't see why this damm review is even up here for... Simple because everything u see in IE7 beta 1 right now will be pretty much all changed around when the final version of this comes out. Right now MS doesn't really care about the UI of ie7.. just mostly the stuff for web devs, by the final version of ie7, there should be moveable tabs, moveable menubar, custome search, etc all in the final build of internet explore...
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