Leaked Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) Beta Screenshots Are Fake

[pezzonovante]

They aren't going to change the main interface to something different that will create confusion and cost businesses money in retraining.

They changed the UI completely from Office 2003 to Office 2007. So, why shouldn't they do the same with the IE9 UI? And do people need to be trained to use a web browser? If they are that dumb, they're not good enough to do a job in the first place.

[hdood]

They changed the UI completely from Office 2003 to Office 2007. So, why shouldn't they do the same with the IE9 UI?

First of all, Office is a separate product and they only made the changes between two major versions. IE is not a separate product, it is a Windows component, and Microsoft generally does not make radical changes with minor OS upgrades. That's why I said you might see changes with Windows 8, but changes also have to make sense. Virtually everyone here who wants it changed, want it changed just for the sake of changing it so it'll look different and more fancy. They get bored with things looking the same year after year. There is no reason to believe that they will change it.

And do people need to be trained to use a web browser? If they are that dumb, they're not good enough to do a job in the first place.

Yes they do. You can sit there ROFLing at it, but it's a simple fact that people do need training. Most people are not computer geeks, and how much computer expertise they have has little to do with their ability to carry out their job (which in most cases you would not be able to do. Does that make you dumb?) If as an example you say that 50% of all employees require an hour of training, that ends up costing a fair bit of money.

[pezzonovante]

IE9 is very likely to be the default browser of Windows 8. So there's every reason to believe that elements of Windows 8 UI will make it into the IE9 UI.

Also, Paul Thurrott mentioned this in an article a few months ago:

"As with the first preview, PP2 will be developer-focused and will not include a peek at the new IE 9 user interface?which will be overhauled?or other end-user features."

http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/paul-thurrotts-wininfo/Microsoft-Touts-IE-9-Momentum-Plans-New-Preview-in-May.aspx

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

goddamn fake screenshots :(

^this

[Jebadiah]

They're focusing on the rendering and JS engines, getting the thing standards complient. Any UI overhauls will most likely happen at the end of development.

LOL I'll take your word for it.

[lordcanti86]

Yup. Fake as hell. The screenshots only show an Acid3 score of 53. IE9pp3 scores an 83.

[boogerjones]

Fake as hell. The screenshots only show an Acid3 score of 53. IE9pp3 scores an 83.

I don't see how that means they're fake. It just means the screenshots are from a different build. It's entirely possible that the Acid3 score could change, even drastically, in an isolated build.

[hdood]

IE9 is very likely to be the default browser of Windows 8.

We'll see in 2012/2013. I think it may not be.

So there's every reason to believe that elements of Windows 8 UI will make it into the IE9 UI.

Like I said, I think it'll look the same. Revive the thread when it's out.

In fact, I also think Windows 8 won't be very different.

[Ci7]

We'll see in 2012/2013. I think it may not be.

more then enough time

to ready and launch IE10/X

hopefully from now on they make a new IE release yearly/once every two years

[derkim]

It looks like IE8. If that really the IE9 it is very disappointing.

We'll see in 2012/2013. I think it may not be.

If I remeber right, Windows 8 coming in july 2011.

[Calum Veteran]

I really hope these are fake due to the fact I'm wishing for an interface like the Zune software has :D I doubt we'll see that though :/

[hdood]

If I remeber right, Windows 8 coming in july 2011.

Yeah right. Beta in a couple of months then?

[George P Global Moderator]

MS redid the UI for other base windows apps like word and so on, so why wouldn't IE9 get a new UI? Why, for that matter, wouldn't Win8 be different as well? I actually expect Win8 will have a different UI depending on the hardware mode it's being used in, as in, desktop with a KB+mouse or if it's in a tablet/slate mode and using touch. And I mean different in the sense that they're not just going to do what Win7 does in touch mode, which is space things out and make some buttons bigger.

Also IE dev has been said, for years now, that it's going to be yearly, and not two years like it was when they were tied to new Windows releases. So going by that IE9 won't be the default browser for windows 8 it seems.

Only time will tell, but I expect a good chunk of the UI to change from what we have now with IE8.

[Bengal34]

LOL I'll take your word for it.

That's the whole focus of IE9.

[thealexweb]

Yeah right. Beta in a couple of months then?

Microsoft has set itself a 3 year time frame for Windows 8, so there's a good chance we'll see a Beta before July 2011.

[torrentthief]

new IE versions are around every 18months so IE10 will be in windows 8 for sure, they aren't going to include a 1.5-2yr ish old browser in windows 8, they will want everyone to have a highly standards compliant browser to follow the standards that are out around then for example HTML6 most likely.

There's not that much wrong with the IE8 U.I, its simple and has tabs, obviously it would be nice if it was more customizable and obviously had extra features like a download manager but most IE users are power users, they use firefox or similar browsers. We just need a fast standards compliant IE9 with downloads manager built-in and i'd be pretty happy. Better to have IE9 quicker than to wait several more months for them to test different U.I's out, we need a standards compliant browser that corporate companies will roll out so that web developers don't have to cater for the poor standards compliancy that IE has.

[hdood]

Only time will tell, but I expect a good chunk of the UI to change from what we have now with IE8.

But you haven't given any sort of reason for why they would do it. That you wish and hope they will is not a reason. Can you explain how you come to the conclusion that they are planning on radically changing it?

As for radically changing the UI in Windows itself, I don't see it really being feasible. There are architectural limitations that prevent it, unless they also release new frameworks and guidelines that future applications can use--and get them to use them. Even then, you're still left with the issue of legacy applications (including those designed for 7) not using them.

Microsoft has set itself a 3 year time frame for Windows 8, so there's a good chance we'll see a Beta before July 2011.

Three years is late 2012. To say that 8 is "coming in july 2011" is just absurd. Even for a beta I'd wager that the chances of seeing one by then is close to zero.

[George P Global Moderator]

But you haven't given any sort of reason for why they would do it. That you wish and hope they will is not a reason. Can you explain how you come to the conclusion that they are planning on radically changing it?

Have you given a reason why you think they won't? They've went ahead with redesigning almost all of their other apps to date, Office aside, there's also all the windows Live apps as well as a number of core windows apps, word/paint etc. Why stick to the current and old IE interface when you've changed pretty much everything else? I think that's reason enough to expect changes in IE9s UI.

[Fluxii Media]

They already stated that they were changing the UI... why the heck is this even being argued still?! The photos are fake, or of a very early internal build, or they just haven't started work on the UI yet!

[rawr_boy81]

The screenshots could very well be real. There's no reason for Microsoft to change the existing IE UI, save for additions like the new tab page or the download manager.

We'll know soon enough whether or not they are in fact the real deal.

I'd say they're the real deal - I can't see any reason why Microsoft would go out and replace and otherwise great UI that 99% of end users are actually happy using. I'd be more inclined to scream 'fake' if the post included some radically different GUI so I just don't see Microsoft making a change for something that doesn't need to be changed. Add to that Microsoft want to get people moving to IE9 ASAP the last thing they want is as well as compatibility issues, usability and retraining issues being another barrier to adoption.The faster they get IE9 adopted the faster they can really work on making their online apps look incredibly sexy with heaps of HTML5 goodness :D

[hdood]

Have you given a reason why you think they won't?

It's a bit backwards to expect me to explain why I think they won't (even though I already have, several times).

They've went ahead with redesigning almost all of their other apps to date, Office aside, there's also all the windows Live apps as well as a number of core windows apps, word/paint etc. Why stick to the current and old IE interface when you've changed pretty much everything else?

But they did redesign IE. In fact, they did it back in 2006 when they also redesigned Office. That's right, both Office and IE were redesigned at the same time! If the current IE interface should be changed just because it is "old," then so should Office.

They already stated that they were changing the UI... why the heck is this even being argued still?! The photos are fake, or of a very early internal build, or they just haven't started work on the UI yet!

Can you post the authoritative Microsoft source, please?

[Nexus-]

Lets close the book on this. They ARE changing the UI the proof is the fact that Paul Thurrott has said so and its evident because that preview thing that they have released a few builds of (to let devs test their sites for rendering issues) doesn't have the full UI. Now obviously if the UI wasn't going to change this preview browser would have the IE 8 interface (as evident that IE browser betas have had some UI in the past and this 9 preview has no UI at all). That preview released doesn't even have an address bar! (you have to do file>open) I also don't think Thurrott would claim something as crazy as a New UI only to find out he is wrong. He has been wrong in the past but the stuff he was wrong about was relatively minor. New UI for one of their biggest programs? Doubt he would be pulling our leg on that...

[Paul Paliath]

Not sure tbh... will have to ask around.

But Softpedia are the guys who have used titles such as 'Windows 8 Availability Will Trigger the Start of the End for Windows 7' :rofl:

[George P Global Moderator]

It's a bit backwards to expect me to explain why I think they won't (even though I already have, several times).

But they did redesign IE. In fact, they did it back in 2006 when they also redesigned Office. That's right, both Office and IE were redesigned at the same time! If the current IE interface should be changed just because it is "old," then so should Office.

So out of all the apps they've changed you stick IE and office together because they were redone in the same year, so thus, hey they shoudl be redone yet again. That makes no sense at all. IE isn't tied to office anyways, their UI's don't need to be changed at the same time either. You also sidestep the fact MS has been changing the UI's for other apps as well outside of office, like i bring up. In order for them to work in any new features they might have, a redo of the UI, to some extent should be done. And it's been said by others that they are redoing the UI. I don't see why, and your reasons for it are weak, that they shouldn't.

[XerXis]

new IE versions are around every 18months so IE10 will be in windows 8 for sure, they aren't going to include a 1.5-2yr ish old browser in windows 8, they will want everyone to have a highly standards compliant browser to follow the standards that are out around then for example HTML6 most likely.

HTML 6? With a bit of luck HTML 5 is finalised by 2012, do you have any idea how long it takes to come up with a new standard that complex as html ;)