Entered CNET Catalog: 10/14/2006
SKU: CNETMSINTERNETEXPLORER7
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp.
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 10/18/2006
Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP SP2 can be downloaded for free from the CNET Download.com site. Beginning in November 2007, users of Windows XP SP2 will automatically receive a Windows Update notice that Internet Explorer 7 is available. Enterprises may, however, block the automatic downloads of IE 7 until corporate IT staff has evaluated the new version. In a workplace, check with your system admin before installing IE 7 on your office desktop.
Installation for IE 7 includes two unusual requests. One, Microsoft asks that users briefly disable antivirus protection. Microsoft claims that there have been some conflicts between IE 7 installations and some antivirus engines, so to err on the safe side, the software giant asks that you disable your antivirus protection until the installation is complete. Neither Opera make this request. Microsoft uses its own malicious-software removal tool during the installation of IE 7, and it is perhaps this tool that conflicts with some antivirus apps.
The other unusual request is that Microsoft asks users to reboot their computer after installation. Neither Opera nor Mozilla Firefox require a reboot. Unique to Internet Explorer 7 is an RSS feed engine that renders Web feeds as a readable page, and a reboot installs this engine in the system kernel. For the most part, we like the built-in RSS reader feature. Opera includes a newsgroups-like RSS reader, while Firefox allows you to associate RSS feeds with third-party readers.
After the installation reboot, Internet Explorer 7 displays a first-run screen where you can turn on antiphishing (not enabled by default) and select your default language. After that, you're finally ready to begin.
Longtime IE 6 users will react differently to the redesigned toolbar--some will like it, most will not. For a look inside, see our Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP SP2 slide show. Microsoft claims users wanted the buttons and bars rearranged; in doing so, Microsoft deviates from the other popular Internet browsers on the market today. The back and forward buttons haven't moved; they're now compressed into the upper-left corner, and their individual drop-down menus have merged into one drop-down list. The address bar is now at the very top of the browser so that malicious spyware toolbars can't obscure or hijack it. Unfortunately, Microsoft has chosen the address bar to also display antiphishing and site certificate information, making it sometimes a very busy place. Perhaps the worst new placement is the refresh button, which is now located immediately after the address bar. Even after using the beta for a few months, we still find it hard to remember where the refresh button is located.
Like Mozilla Firefox and Opera, IE 7 has a built-in Internet search box in the top tier of the interface. If you install Internet Explorer on a clean system, the search box defaults to the little-used Windows Live.com site; however, if you upgrade and you already have a preference for, say, Google.com, Internet Explorer will respect your wishes and ask whether you want to continue using Google as your default search engine. If, on a clean system, you wish to change your preference from Windows Live.com to Google.com, IE 7 takes you to a search engine page where you can add additional search engines (oddly, Google is one of a limited few sites that do not include colorful logos, so look hard). Once it's added, you must still click to make Google your default, but the process is relatively painless. Unlike Firefox, IE 7 does not display search suggestions from your chosen search engine.
On the second tier of the redesigned IE 7 interface, in the upper left, Microsoft places its Favorites Center, accessible via the familiar star icon and a new Add to Favorites star icon. The Favorites Center replaces the Favorites sidebar and includes tabs for RSS feeds and History. Next to the Favorites Center is the Tabbed Browsing section (see below for more), followed by the relocated Command Bar, which includes Homepage, RSS, Printer, Page, and Tools, with the latter being an omnibus drop-down menu of settings and enhancements.
Should you decide to remove Internet Explorer 7, you will return to Internet Explorer 6. You can't completely remove Internet Explorer--not without considerable effort. Because Microsoft has thoroughly bundled the Internet browser within its Windows operating system (surfacing, for example, whenever you need to view an HTML document within Microsoft Word), we do not recommend removing Internet Explorer entirely.
Perhaps the biggest change within IE 7, aside from the overall interface redesign, is tabbed browsing, a feature already found within Firefox and Opera. Tabbed browsing allows you to open, view, and close multiple pages within one IE 7 session. The tabs, which can be reordered, can also be previewed on a page with clickable thumbnail displays of each open tab. We prefer Opera, which provides native thumbnail views as your mouse hovers over each tab. The page preview available within IE 7, called Quick Tabs, requires an extra mouse click, which is an annoyance for the ergonomically minded.
Speaking of accessibility features, IE 7 includes zoom technology and the new Clear-type page technology, which Microsoft claims renders page fonts as sharp and clear as those printed on a piece of paper. We find the IE 7 page zoom a bit clunky compared with that of Opera, which uses the scroll button on your mouse; Microsoft uses hot keys, preset sizes, and an option to render at a custom size. Even if you zoom to the maximum level, 400 percent, we found that the Clear-text technology within IE 7 remains quite clear with fonts, although art and photos do become pixilated.
Printing within IE 7 has also been enhanced; like Mozilla Firefox, pages within IE 7 now automatically shrink to fit on the printed page, sometimes resulting in microprinted text. You should always preview the page first so that you can also customize the shrink if needed.
Like Firefox, Internet Explorer has various add-ons; however, Mozilla enjoys.
RSS isn't treated lightly within IE7; in fact, Microsoft built an entire RSS reader and bundled it in with the browser. Now when you click on the RSS button, you'll see a listing of the feeds provided by a given Web site. Click the feed you want, and IE7 displays the latest headlines and blurbs. Unlike IE6, the page is readable (no more XML gibberish), with links to subscribe and to update the current feed.
Security enhancements within IE 7 for Windows XP SP2 include increased malware protection by requiring you to opt-in when using ActiveX components (previously, ActiveX components installed automatically unless you changed the Internet options settings), along with an increased default Internet security level (medium-high), a new layer of certificate authentication, and antiphishing technology. Microsoft has added security protection to its new RSS reader as well, accepting only valid RSS feeds and not malware. There are also built-in code protections against Cross-Domain script attacks and malicious URL handling. However, much of the code used to create IE 7 has essentially remained unchanged from that of IE 6, so many of the non-ActiveX flaws now being discovered within IE 6 will likely affect IE 7. Given that Microsoft fixes only between one and five Internet Explorer flaws each month, we do not find IE 7 to be substantially more secure than IE 6. Further security protection, such as the sandboxing of all Internet Explorer sessions, will be offered within the Windows Vista version of Internet Explorer 7.
Also unchanged within IE 7 is the underlying rendering engine; IE 7 still uses essentially the IE 4 Web engine. So in terms of page performance, Mozilla Firefox, which updated its Web engine with Firefox 1.5, remains the much faster browser.
Speaking of rendering, IE 7 offers Clear-type text enhancements but still does not offer full Cascading Style Sheet 2.1 (CSS 2.1) standards compatibility and has spotty support of XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.01, WML 2.0, ECMAScript, DOM 2, and SVG 1.1--standards supported by the W3C organization. Thus, IE 7 fails what is called the Acid2 Test, a test designed by the Web Standards Project to demonstrate complete standards compliance. So far, among the browsers reviewed by CNET, only Opera has passed the latest Acid2 test, with Mozilla Firefox expected to comply shortly. As Web designers adopt these standards, some sites may begin break as IE 7 falls farther behind the standard used by Web designers worldwide.
IE 7 includes Microsoft's new antiphishing technology, designed to prevent users from providing personal data to fraudulent Web sites. Microsoft has touted its new technology (partnering with security vendors Cyveillance, InternetIdentity, MarkMonitor, and RSA Security's Cyota) as superior to others, yet in our own admittedly limited tests, we found that IE 7 consistently failed to catch phishing sites less than 1 hour old, although IE 7 caught all phishing sites known for at least 1 hour or more. Most phishing sites are removed after their initial 72 hours. We found that stand-alone antiphishing filters, such as that from Netcraft, performed far better than IE 7 in flagging brand-new phishing sites. Microsoft says it is constantly updating its antiphishing technology and hopes to stop newer phishing sites, as well as old phishing sites.
There are a lot of changes within IE 7, though not as many as we'd hoped and some that are merely cosmetic. Missing are innovative, cutting-edge features such as search engine suggestions, live feeds within bookmarks, inline spell-checking, and session restore--features offered within Firefox 2-- or thumbnail tab previews, desktop widgets, or voice (which can read Web pages aloud)--features offered by Opera 9. Given a proposed 18-month development cycle for the next release of Internet Explorer, IE 7 was Microsoft's one chance to leapfrog ahead of the competition, but the company has only barely caught sight of the current front-runners.
That said, everyone should upgrade to IE 7 when offered the chance, even if you never intend to use it. Because Internet Explorer is so tightly bound within Windows XP SP2 (for example, if you view an HTML document in Microsoft Word, you're using IE technology), it's better to have the improved code within IE 7 running on your system than not. But for a truly secure Internet browser with more features, we still recommend Mozilla Firefox.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329
User Rating: 
2/10
slowed computer down and prevented opening of Firefox
Pros: nothing as it has slowed down all conections
Cons: Firefox ceased to work. A pop up appeared telling me that Firefox had been prevented from opening as could harm my computer. I have tried to re-install Firefox but it just will not load at all.
User Rating: 
7/10
mediocre i mean common!
Pros: website compatibility, ummmmm Better than the previous IE's!?
Cons: Active X, No addons, Safety, do I have to go on??
User Rating: 
3/10
why choose IE when FF's there? XD
Pros: - ...
actually, nothing really.
i use IE if, & only IF, there's no other browser available, and i cant download MF. :)
Cons: -slow. no, not just slow, but OLD-MAN-WILL-YOU-EFFIN-HURRY-UP?? kind of slow.
-not as user-friendly as other browsers, MF in particular.
why choose IE when there's Mozilla Firefox? :)
User Rating: 2/10
This browser makes me cry
Pros: I would be happy to tell you that this browser works the same way as Opera or Firefox works, it would be much easier for me, but this browser is simply bad
Cons: Well, lots of bad featuers, blinks when switching page, ask to many questions, too secure, each time i want to open page it ask me questions even if i confirm it ask me again to confirm and there is no way to control this, etc...
User Rating: 
1/10
Desktop Website Icons
Pros: there is none. IE 7 will not allow me to change desktop icons for websites. It keeps defaulting back the the blue "e." No matter what I do!
Cons: It will not let me change the IE7 blue "E" desktop icon for websites I visit frequently. I have exchange students vist my home alot so I create custom icons for commonly used websites. The students dont have to read the website name.
User Rating: 2/10
Worst internet browser I have ever used.
Pros: It's free. But basically all browsers are free.
Cons: Unstable, slow, unreliable. Doesn't even work properly with my email account.
I never use Internet Explorer anymore.
User Rating: 1/10
Absolutely Awfully Abysmal
Pros: Easy installation, Faster page rendering
Cons: Still slow page rendering, un-intuitive UI, annoying ActiveX popups, forced installation, rendering quirks
User Rating: 
6/10
Not so Great
Pros: I like the theme of Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista. Okay features.
Cons: Too many back doors to be run safely on XP, can be very difficult to use because at the top it looks like a bunch of buttons blended together, sometimes loads pages drastically slow.
Ease of Use 2
Speed 3
Features 3
Looks 4.
Overall this has been a disappointing browsing experience. It gets very confusing at times and for unknown reason loads pages slowly randomly. This browser could probably be hacked to infect your computer with some simple lines of code. I do not recommend using this Browser if you are running Windows XP or lower, or if you don't have any Antivirus software, or a Firewall enabled.
User Rating: 
9/10
The Best Web Browser Is Still Leading The Competiton
Pros: This is an amazing improvement over Internet Explorer 6. Microsoft has finally beaten Mozilla Firefox in regards security, interface, and speed. It has a completely revamped interface and security tools.
Cons: Not all websites were compatible with Internet Explorer 7 during the first few months of its release, but most are compatible now.
1. In security, Internet Explorer has beaten all competitors. The new phishing filter is oustanding, and only slows browsing by about 1/4 of a second.
2. In browsing speed, IE is definitely faster than Firefox. I have found in all my testing experience that Firefox is significantly slower than IE.
3. In interface, Microsoft has given users the largest available browsing space in any browser I've found (I have yet to review Konqueror.) But Firefox is still better than IE in the area of interface in the aspect of customization. Internet Explorer still doesn't give users the option to download themes or skins.
4. For dependability, this browser is oustanding. I have almost never had it crash on me on my home system (now to be honest, I've had it crash on other people's.)
This is one of the best web browsers available, and I recommend it to you.
User Rating: 1/10
Abysmal says it all
Pros: Tabbed browsing
Cons: Horrifically bad interface. Significantly slower and less user friendly than the best browsers around (Firefox, Opera)
The speed of page response and rendering is no where near as quick as Firefox, my default browser.
It's sad to think this is the internet browser most of the world uses because it is quite simply aweful. Please people open your eyes and look at the others.
User Rating: 
10/10
get rid of other browser, use inbuilt
Pros: Inbuilt Feed reader: allows you to read the content offline. (unlike FF)
EASY costomised search slot: makes you easy to add your fav search sites. just by using "test" url (not in FF)
Cons: still dont have 'spell check'
User Rating: 2/10
if you ever used opera, firefox or safari you'll realise how bad IE is
Pros: none, but IE is the only browser microsoft allows you to use to access windowsupdate
Cons: slow, heavy, crashes, bas installation, slow, SLOW, CRASHES - the usual microsoft stuff
User Rating: 3/10
Poor stuff.
Pros: Nothing good in it.
Cons: Everything
User Rating: 1/10
GO firefox, because this sux
Pros: there are none!
Cons: Everything about it
ITS SO SLOW when compared to Firefox.
THERE is so much unnecessary STUFF on the toolbar, that's there weather you like it or not.
Sometimes it decides to take a spaz and open up hundreds of blank pages, and you cant stop it. Its soo ****ing annoying too. Anytime you try and open a link from your email a little message pops up displaying
This could be unsafe blah blah blah.
....then it takes you like 15 to finally open the link.
All in all i am not going to spend anymore time tell you how bad it is, because its absolutely not worth it.
User Rating: 1/10
the best awful browser out there better opera
Pros: it have tabs, very old stuff
Cons: complete browser
User Rating: 
5/10
"Meh" okay if all your allowed to have is IE7
Pros: look, tabs
Cons: no crash recovery, slow, buggy,....
User Rating: 1/10
Awful browser
Pros: it displays web pages
Cons: it does an awful job at it
User Rating: 
4/10
Would like to uninstall it from my computer
Pros: Loaded pages very fast
Cons: Wouldn't display all the images from e-mails and web-sites
User Rating: 9/10
Best Overall Browser
Pros: Compatibility (websites)
Cons: No themes, no add ons, etc...
User Rating: 6/10
IE7 is a better browser than other current internet browsers
Pros: Cool stuff from Microsoft
Cons: It's not as fast as Mozilla firefox
http://www.multidox.net
User Rating: 7/10
Not so fast but compatible with every web page.
Pros: Compability,much faster than internet explorer 6.
Cons: Slower than other popular browsers,nearly no real function except tabbed browsing.
So I can say internet explorer 7 is the slowest in a theoratical speed test but in practicality, it is the fastest.
User Rating: 5/10
Finally works
Pros: Like the tab control now
Cons: Still freezes up and needs more work.
User Rating: 7/10
No Problems
Pros: Better than Firefox 2
Cons: Not as secure as Firefox
User Rating: 1/10
it's not recommended and do not download it at all
Pros: not recommended
Cons: do not download it at al
User Rating: 1/10
Terrible Browser
Pros: None!!!!!!
Cons: Slow loading, bad security features
User Rating: 1/10
Far worse than IE6
Pros: Very few. Does load slightly faster than IE6
Cons: Tabbed browsing and looks like a mac owner would like it.
User Rating: 2/10
insufficient
Pros: multiple tabs
Cons: everything else is insufficient
User Rating: 2/10
TOO SLOW and full of rubbish
Pros: nothing. nothing nothing nothing
Cons: too slow. everything about ie7 is a con
User Rating: 2/10
not good at all.... they better fix it up cuz it is just poor...
Pros: not good at all.... they better fix it up cuz it is just poor...
Cons: not good at all.... they better fix it up cuz it is just poor...
User Rating: 2/10
Poorly designed junk
Pros: Looks nice
Cons: Looks are very deceiving here
User Rating: 1/10
What they call this New& Improved????
Pros: Nothing good about explorer7 till they fix it
Cons: Theres a 5 mile search bar which no one will ever need!
I will not be upgrading to any future explorer7 till they make some changes and do away with Live search and return explorer so you can customize it your own personal way. And what is with these Tab folder crap buttons?? Plus I noticed when you do a search it does not give you a list like explorer6 just on the one side but it also gives you a full wide screen page also .
And that in itself is a sure bad flaw thing they should have fixed!
I think micro -soft was trying to copy netscapes navigator9 which also is a big peice of crap to use. I think microsoft better get back to making thing work proper and forget all those flashy crap things none of us want or need to use.And making something bigger & limiting what you can do with it is not gonna make it worth using !
Its bad enough they had the nerve to introduce Win Vista as best windows made !LOL
So I rate explorer7 lower then explorer 1. And I also rate Vista lower then window 3.1 as best software to use.
User Rating: 3/10
Terrible -- is this progress???
Pros: Tabs,
Cons: User interface is terrible, still crashes
User Rating: 2/10
One word sums it up 'Terrible'
Pros: Settings are far easier to change or select
Cons: Read below....
There are many disappointments to Internet explorer 7, such as it not being user friendly. And having useless small tabs on the top, where instead they could have selected more useful icons such as ?bookmarks.?
In addition to this there has been many flaws with IE7, for example for me personally every time I use it, IE7 crashes, which has totally baffled me. Microsoft has added a few features that other browsers have used such as the benefit of having multiple tabs.
However, what is the point, when you have far greater alternatives such as ?Opera? and ?Firefox? that give you far more ?BETTER? features, editing tools and most importantly ease of use. So just ask your self this question. ?What?s the point of having Internet explorer7?? Nothing! At all, honestly everyone should go for the alternative browsers such as Opera and Firefox.
User Rating: 1/10
Terrible Experience With IE7
Pros: None that I can think of, considering that Firefox and Opera are available.
Cons: Nothing but hassle for me.
I would never go back to IE. M
User Rating: 9/10
A very good product
Pros: Good Speed, Tabbed Browsing, more screen space than other browsers.
Cons: Has alot of security prompts by default
User Rating: 6/10
Considerations
Pros: Tabbed Browsing is great
Cons: You've opened a new tab
If this browser was a person it would probably be a car salesman in the sense that it mithers you endlessly trying to help, but in reality is unco-operative, annoying and unnecessary. It's overzealous approach to security frankly spoils a browser with some otherwise excellent features.
User Rating: 4/10
IE7 needs to fix icons that don't pop up
Pros: A lot like previous versions
Cons: I had a terrible time trying to access the local library site
User Rating: 2/10
Forget it, Bill, finally become professional!
Pros: few and 'inspired' by Firefox
Cons: plenty, crashing as often as IE6 or more
User Rating: 9/10
One of the best browsers you can have.
Pros: Lots of them. Tabs, the top in phishing protection, RSS, and it's extendable. Diddn't steal from F*ckfox. Compatible with most sites.
Cons: Nothing supioer to Opera. But pretty good.
User Rating: 3/10
Too little too late
Pros: Improved GUI
Cons: Mozilla and others have already succeeded and are proven
History lesson aside, there are now better products than IE available with more features.
User Rating: 7/10
As Long As IE7 Comes Bundled With the O/S and ActiveX, It Can't Make Substantial Advances
Pros: GUI is far prettier than IE6, IE7 Toolbar Takes Up Minimal Real Estate, IE7 Comes With Optional No Add-On's Veersion ;
Cons: Useless Phish Filter Seriously Slows Page Loads, Alternate Search Engines Not Encouraged By Layout, Ad Malware Still Required by Redmond
User Rating: 1/10
Back to the drawing board folks
Pros: Yet to find any
Cons: Dreadful toolbar...
User Rating: 1/10
IE 7 nothing but problems!!!
Pros: Tabbed Browsing, thats it really
Cons: Everything, performance stinks
User Rating: 2/10
WORST BROWSER TO DATE
Pros: It's no longer on my computer
Cons: Too many to list here.
A few months ago i upgraded to IE 7 because i didn't think it could get any worse than IE 6, boy was i wrong. In just under a DAY the lousy program started to run copies of itself in my computers background. These copies would run their own copies that would start taking up most of my computers resources. To make matters worse, my mom's computer was barely functional in less time. nothing short of uninstalling the program (which is far from simple) would stop it and even then i still had iexplorer.exe running without my permission. an avast boot scan cleared out the VIRUSES that had managed to get on to my computer THROUGH IE 7 and i was back to normal. Needless to say i only use IE 6 when im forced to and religiously stick to FIREFOX from now on.
User Rating: 3/10
IE 7 Poor
Pros: Tabs were an imporvement.
Cons: Slow loading. Clunky interface.
User Rating: 2/10
IE 7.0 Sucks
Pros: Haven't found any Pros
Cons: This is just too damn slow
It is worst than IE 6.0
User Rating: 3/10
Use firefox!
Pros: i dont know of any
Cons: slow and bad set-up
User Rating: 4/10
Mediocre Ditto...
Pros: New Look, New Button Icons
Cons: Limitations on users to customize
So, I'm reverting back to IE-6.
Microsoft: Try again.
(P.S.- This experience reinforces why I stick with existing OS's and other software from MS for a few years until they get their act together.)
User Rating: 2/10
IT JUST CRASHES ALL THE TIME
Pros: looks nice
Cons: it crashes all the time, or in vitsta it does, i have vista, an so does my friend , an our ie crashes all the time, less secure than other browsers, slower than other browsers , not a lot of addons,
User Rating: 1/10
Reliable... at crashing every time
Pros: copied successful browsers
Cons: did not copy enough, lack a lot of features and crashes all the time
User Rating: 3/10
Not as friendly as Firefox or Opera
Pros: Reasonably stable on my system, fewer crashes.
Cons: Easy to lose tabs previously opened.
User Rating: 
8/10
IE7 is good!
Pros: Tabs, Favorites, add-ons, Search bar
Cons: Explorer Bar, Long set up time, Does not have all the same things as Fire Fox does
But it does not have all the same things as Fire Fox does.
User Rating: 8/10
Personally i love it!
Pros: the tabs...never have to open more than one IE window
Cons: not hotbar compatable...i miss my hotbar!
User Rating: 1/10
Crash-Crazy user unfriendly
Pros: none found
Cons: picture toolbar removed, mail tab removed, etc.
IE7 tends to lock up alot and the multiple tabs are a joke. I've now blocked IE7 from installing. If Microsoft forces me to use it, I'll find other better browsers.
User Rating: 2/10
It's nothing but trouble!
Pros: Has anti-phising and other little bells and whistles.
Cons: It's sluggish and pron to security and browsing issues.
I started using Firefox for a lot of web stuff because it was more compatable with some of the forums I belong to. IE7 just would not work well. But, I still used it a lot. I really don't know why to tell you the truth!
Anyway, I have now removed IE7 and gone back to IE6 which is a lot more responsive. But I will continue to use Firefox for most of my web browsing. It beats IE hands down! You would think that Microsoft would have gotten the message a long time ago that they needed to come up with something a lot better. Well, they failed in their attempt!
User Rating: 2/10
Horrible product
Pros: may have better security
Cons: Locks up and crashes computer
User Rating: 9/10
Much better than Firefox
Pros: Works Better if with an ad blocker add-on
Cons: none by far
User Rating: 2/10
Does not standup to its standards
Pros: its a webbrowser
Cons: works when ever it wants.
User Rating: 1/10
Watch out if you unload it.
Pros: None that I can see at this time
Cons: It doesn't play well with other programs.
So I decided that it was a piece of junk and uninstalled it. What a mistake, after that I found that many of my programs no longer worked and even after uninstalling and reinstalling the programs they still didn't work. In addition, I can know longer access the internet, even though I reinstalled IE 6. As of this writing, I still can't access the internet through IE 6.
User Rating: 3/10
Bloated, Slow, and powerless.
Pros: Not much... tabbed browsing is nice to see in Explorer finally.
Cons: Slow and sloppy
User Rating: 8/10
better than ie6
Pros: tabbed browsing, new features like rss support
Cons: should be given the choice to pause downloads...
User Rating: 8/10
Good Browser
Pros: Easy to read, looks better, RSS feeds, etc
Cons: Slow, not as secure
User Rating: 9/10
Better than firefox2, Great work
Pros: It's rendering engine is very fast, and not eat too much memory as firefox.
Cons: No much more extensions
User Rating: 1/10
I used this and got a virus and loads of spyware and had to reinstall xp, firefox is WAY WAY better!
Pros: safer then ie6...
Cons: not customizable AT ALL, still EXTREMELY UNSAFE.
User Rating: 3/10
7 is way too generous
Pros: Erm...its has tabs but so does firefox
Cons: Where do I start
User Rating: 9/10
In my humble opinion, excellent"
Pros: Fast, Secure and stable
Cons: Great best...
User Rating: 9/10
Perfect & Best
Pros: Perfect & Best
Cons: Perfect & Best
Never had a pop up...
User Rating: 1/10
Suxs Big Time
Pros: Rate Rate It # 4
Cons: Internet Explorer 6
User Rating: 4/10
This is a big grief Browser!!!
Pros: Necessary to function operationally
Cons: Can't even find any support for IE 6.0
but I never experienced the amount of frustration with a browserand just apathy
from the "support" contacts. I wish I was
more technically qualified to respond.
Grrrrrr!!!!!!!
User Rating: 9/10
Why the prejudgement?
Pros: Tab, Sleek Design, overall very nice feel
Cons: No built-in restore session (as far as I can tell)
(off-topic: this constant comparison with firefox is aggravating, just like when CNET reviews a new MP3 player, there's ALWAYS a reference to the Apple iPod. Seriously CNET, stop it.)
No great security? I mean, who would feel very secure having a 'secure' internet browser? Everybody with a brain and some money would understand that IE (or any other browser) is not enough to guarantee safety. So that's why most people like to buy an antivirus or internet security program.
No good add-ons? Wrong again here, CNET reviewers. I find that IE7Pro is possibly the best add-on you can find. It brings many lovely features in one small package barely over 1MB.
Anyhow, I liked the UI (rounded edges, metallic aspect, etc.). I feel more than satisfied using IE7. Notice how I don't compare these features to firefox? That's because I'm writing a review of IE7 and not a comparison between the two browsers.
(another off-topic: in Veronica Belmont's prizefight between the two browsers, she wonders why IE owns 70% of the market. Well... if she happened to use the thing between her ears, she would know that everyone PC preloaded with windows comes with IE. There. Stupid.)
User Rating: 1/10
Avoid! Don't Let Windows Update Install This Under Your Nose!
Pros: None over Firefox, IE6 or even Opera!
Cons: Practically Everything!
Tabbed Browsing -
Tabbed browsing can take a little while to get used to, but fortunately they give you the option to turn it off under Internet Options - General Tab - Tabs. Firefox and Opera have this feature and Internet Explorer merely copies, but does not improve this feature.
Pop-Up Blocker -
The Pop-up blocker tends to impair my browsing experience more than it enhances it. This feature will take some time to train and in my opinion it isn't worth it. If you're like me and are cautious, avoid malicious sites and keep your computer clean with ad-aware then you rarely see pop-ups anyway. Fortunately, this feature can also be disabled.
Phishing Filter -
Same goes for the phishing filter. If you're cautious and keep your computer clean, than this feature isn't worth all the system pop-ups and delays and training you have to go through to get it working right.
Bulky Menus -
You cannot shift around the menus at the top. In IE6, I had my menus, buttons, address bar and search bar all on one line. In IE7 it takes 3 lines! If you're using tabbed browsing, it feels as if half the page is being consumed (on a 17" monitor) by menus and the actual browsing space you have is minimal. Just a pet peeve, nothing serious. I'm sure there's a registry tweak somewhere. In regards to the embedded search, this is nothing new and has never appealed to me since my home page is google. This may be cool for some, but you can get a search bar in any other competing browser with a simple download.
System Use -
No less strenuous than IE6. On my computer it was worse in some cases, but this all depends on what your computer and what all you have running. I was really hoping for less system strain this time around. If they hadn't included all these arguably unecessary features then maybe it could've happened.
Browser Speed -
IE7 is noticeably faster than Opera on my computer, but as for IE6 and Firefox, it seems slower... maybe because I spend so much time clicking the information bar to display blocked content and thus having to wait for the page to refresh.
User Friendliness -
Somewhat abhorable if you are used to IE6. The Stop and Refresh buttons have been moved and the Favorites menu is cumbersome. Why did they do this? It's in no way an improvement, just different... and a bit frustrating.
Overall-
Stay away, uninstall it if you can, Seek an alternative like Firefox or Opera, or do what many of us former windows-faithful users (9 years and counting) and consider *gulp* a Mac!
User Rating: 3/10
Installing Explorer 7 was a mistake
Pros: The page magnifier is nice
Cons: Much more unstable than Explorer 6
User Rating: 4/10
WHAT IMPROVEMENT?
Pros: LATEST RELEASE
Cons: LATEST RELEASE
User Rating: 3/10
Microsoft is going to loose browser race.
Pros: Tabs, Asynchronous tools options, move towards standards.
Cons: Slow, buggy and yes slow.
User Rating: 3/10
Horrible, this thing stinks Im staying with 6
Pros: none it crap
Cons: to may to think of
User Rating: 10/10
In my humble opinion, excellent
Pros: Fast, Secure and stable
Cons: the download manager system.
User Rating: 6/10
too many 'not respondings'
Pros: quite good, but I am non-expert
Cons: not expert enough to judge
Regards Howard Strangways
User Rating: 4/10
Most sites look terrible in IE7
Pros: tabs are cool
Cons: rendering is bad
Firefox is the one. I liked IE 6, but 7 is ungood.
User Rating: 3/10
Not my cup of tea
Pros: Improved security, anti-phishing, print what-you-see, tabbed browsing
Cons: Confusing layout, auto-hide command bar
User Rating: 2/10
Bloatware at its finest
Pros: can open any page
Cons: does it sloowwwwly
Pure microsoft bloatware trash.
User Rating: 1/10
The most vulnerable browser; move to firefox instead
Pros: 1: New sleek tabs
Cons: 1: The most vulnerable browser 2: Lots of bugs
User Rating: 1/10
This is an all time low for Microsoft
Pros: There are none, all of the things that are good in it they copied from Firefox (www.mozilla.com) which is the better browser
Cons: They built it off of the IE 6 code which is glitchcy and has poor security, then added things to make it run slower and supposedly give it "better security" but that did not work at all.
User Rating: 3/10
Made me switch to another browser out on neccessity
Pros: improved looks, anti-phishing detection,
Cons: Locks, Crashes, Sneaks in on auto updates
User Rating: 1/10
Horrible, again
Pros: Nothing at all
Cons: Sercurity, Button Placement & a whole lot of others
User Rating: 2/10
Bad, extremely bad!
Pros: No pros, just cons.
Cons: Just does not work, continually "not responding".
User Rating: 4/10
NOT AS GOOD AS FIREFOX !!!
Pros: Clean Interface, More Secure
Cons: LONG installation, you have to PAY for most of your add-ons...
The user interface got cleaner and nicer. You get a taste of Windows Vista with that and it has some more security features like antiphishing, a built-in popup blocker and WOW so much pros for IE 7 !!!!
Ok, let's go with CONS (I think it's going to take forever like the installation...), oh yeah ! the installation took FOREVER !!! It has download updates that I don't know, it has to restart and kept installing in startup. I mean, if your installation took less than 5 minutes, like other browsers (ahem... Firefox) I would give you the Nobel Prize !!
Second, the add-ons, you have to pay for these (for most of them), and also the Refresh and the Stop button got weirdly placed beside the address bar and some sites works exclusively with IE which is a BIG bummer...
And third, ALL the other features got taken from other browsers... Finally, it got tabbed browsing, RSS feeds, etc.
Overall, MS had so much time to work on IE7 and making it a very powerful browser. Firefox is way better !!! GO WITH FIREFOX !!
User Rating: 2/10
I can't believe I waited this long to try Firefox
Pros: after using Firefox, I don't know why anyone would choose IE
Cons: crowded interface, non-customizable, lacks intuitive use design
I kept hearing people recommend Firefox and finally I tried it because of how bad IE7 is. Let me say first that Firefox is so easy to download and install. It is NOT an ordeal like Internet Explorer. Firefox installs and uninstalls effortlessly. It is completely painless to just install it and check it out. You do NOT have to uninstall IE or anything like that. If Firefox doesn't work for you, just uninstall it and go back to IE. It will not wreck your system or anything. Firefox is so ergonomic and intuitively put together; it is so easy to understand and use and configure to just how you want it. I have no doubt, if you try Firefox you will never go back to IE. Now if only there was a Mozilla Operating System. I'd be done with Microsoft altogether. Microsoft fails to take customer feedback into account and produces features and products that are not intuitive or "ergonomic" to use and not designed with the priorities (like stability, security, low system resource usage, etc.) that I feel are important. But I like PCs better than Apples, so I'm stuck with Microsoft (but not their pathetic browser anymore
PS: refer to this website (http://www.tweakguides.com/Firefox_1.html) for a TweakGuide that will teach you how to configure Firefox perfectly for you.
User Rating: 6/10
Better than IE6 but maybe too much security?
Pros: Tabs, streamlined look, rss, favorites setup
Cons: lots of web page errors..i'm looking into this now
User Rating: 7/10
I'm confused as to why people think it's horrible!
Pros: Tabbed browsing finally! Works on my 512 RAM machine. Better than IE6.
Cons: Toolbar could have been designed a little better.
But what is the problem with IE7, people?
PROS:
1. I love the tabbed browsing, about time MSFT!!
2. Graphics are updated over IE6 so it looks more up-to-date.
3. Pages download fine on DSL and probably better on cable internet. I do get the occassional time-out though, on pages I know are good. I just refresh and it's OK. I got time-outs on IE6 too though. It also works fine on my meager 512 RAM machine, although I'll be upgrading soon. But I am not having a slowdown like others have said.
4. I also love the customizable search site function! I loaded all my favorite search sites in there.
5. RSS feed added, GREAT!! Now IE can finally call itself modern!
CONS:
The one drawback is the toolbar and it's functions, it's a little clumsy.
1. First the Star, which is not clearly marked for what it does. You have to hover over it to see it's Favorites, Feeds and History. I wish they had put MARKED symbols for these, like they did on the right side. I'm not sure about using one symbol alone, but I guess I can get used to it.
2. I also have a LOT of Favorites and don't like how the page no longer goes all the way down. Too much scrolling. Organizing Favorites is also a little slower now.
3. I also wish they had left the forward and backward tabs ALONE! One little tab to scroll through all viewed pages, so I sometimes get confused. It was better when they had one forward tab and one backward. Come on MSFT, it's a LITTLE tab that couldn't have taken up that much space!
All in all, a pretty good improvement over IE6 though!!
Come on MSFT, secure your products better! I already received several security updates for IE7!! They are inconvenient to update because I always have to save work and reboot!
Browser still works fine for browsing though!
User Rating: 2/10
one word - ugh.
Pros: it shows web pages ... most of the time
Cons: issue with vs2005 and other applications which use some of its technology
User Rating: 4/10
Toolbars Sucks
Pros: Pocas innovaciones
Cons: La barra de tarea apesta no puedes configurarla a tu gusto
User Rating: 1/10
Prepare for frustration
Pros: Product is too dysfunctional to know what the pros are.
Cons: Many menu buttons do not function at all
User Rating: 1/10
Worst browser I've ever used
Pros: Tabed browsing
Cons: exerything else
User Rating: 6/10
Improvement but disapointing
Pros: Tabbed browsing feature, RSS feeds, improved security, improved web standards, ability to delete browsing history in one click
Cons: Awful and hard to use interface, slow and clumsy, crashes often, still caught spyware while using this browser, interface is terrible and harder to use over IE 6
Thankfully you can make it open other tabs through the Internet options. The most annoying thing with this browser is how slow it is, compared to IE 6, this browser is a slug to use, even web pages seem load slower compared to Firefox. Speed is king. IE 7 crashes more often than IE 6.
It amazes me how people think this browser is very safe, NOT! My other family members who use the computer use IE 7, yet they still manage to catch spyware anyway, I'm not sure what they browse, but IE 7 is not that safe. It could be though. I've heard how IE 7 somehow tracks your keystrokes and tries to access the internet, certain firewalls have cought IE 7 doing this, it sort of seems like spyware or a keylogger!
As a web developer I have seen how IE does better in presenting standards complaint web pages, and certain CSS bugs have been eradicated, but not all, which is a disappointment. RSS feeds is good feature and was desperately needed. I hate the fact that IE 7 is forced through automatic updates, its a case of Microsoft force feeding the crying baby.
I think IE 7 is worthily enough to upgrade, but since I've had an unpleasant experience, I've uninstalled it. Maybe they should release a SP 3 for IE 6 that has improvements.
User Rating: 3/10
IE7 has a problem with its downloading rate
Pros: Nothing to report. IE6 was better.
Cons: Opens homepage much slower than IE6
User Rating: 2/10
slowliness
Pros: RSS and tab introduction
Cons: slow slow slow
User Rating: 1/10
Horrible, get Firefox
Pros: Nothing, just awful
Cons: Slow, can't open tabs (not spyware), toolbars relocated, ugly interface, no new features, long download,
User Rating: 4/10
Pretty weak
Pros: Nice visually, tabbed browsing has ok functionality
Cons: Slow loading, slow to load webpages, bad security
User Rating: 8/10
better than 6
Pros: Like the tabbed browsing and favorite links that can open multiple tabs
Cons: crashes regularly when closing
User Rating: 9/10
Good Browser
Pros: Tabs; User Interface
Cons: Crashes rarely
User Rating: 5/10
Screwed up adding favorites
Pros: Like the tabs
Cons: Hate what they did to favorites
User Rating: 3/10
IE7 - Nothing but a problem
Pros: There isn't much I can say that is positive about IE7.
Cons: IE7 is not compatible with a lot of websites
User Rating: 1/10
CRASH_FLASH9b.ocx_CRASHES IE7 almost everytime it opens
Pros: NO PROS nothing I can say is good about IE7
Cons: CRASHES with flash9b.ocx on 3 out of every 6 websites
User Rating: 3/10
QUICK....GET FIREFOX!!!
Pros: Tabbed browsing
Cons: Just doesn't make the grade. There are no themes to choose from
User Rating: 2/10
Simply awful
Pros: Alleged to have improved security
Cons: Crashes computer when used simultaneously with other browsers
As a few sites are still designed around Explorer I cannot abandon Explorer altogether, otherwise it would have been off my computer a long time ago.
User Rating: 9/10
Fine No real problems relative to other browsers
Pros: Can customize toolbars as opposed to popular opinion
Cons: Give the little guys a go
I seem to be able to do all of the things other users can't with this so I don't know what their doing wrong, and I am not a computer geek.
Trying firefox now and it is ok too, probably not quite up too this standard but not bad at all.
User Rating: 3/10
Mozilla Firefox Wanna Be
Pros: Cant find any
Cons: False errors
"Most likely causes:
You are not connected to the Internet.
The website is encountering problems.
There might be a typing error in the address.
"
While Firefox displays the page
Compare yourslef and see!
User Rating: 4/10
Not very satisfied with IE 7
Pros: Tab Browsing and anti phishing, which is more secured than IE 6
Cons: Freezes and much slower than IE 6
User Rating: 8/10
Look nice!
Pros: Easy to use.
Cons: Have problem with some normal websites.
User Rating: 3/10
Problems without much improvement
Pros: Don't see any
Cons: Lacks some of earlier features
Also found that there's no way to arrange Favorites. You can put them in folders, but you can't move them up or down in the list as with earlier versions.
I will just put up with the constant interruptions to tell me there's a new version and stick with IE6.
User Rating: 2/10
my opinion
Pros: none at all
Cons: slow, slow, hard to find features
User Rating: 2/10
A step backward
Pros: I cannot see any
Cons: Poor UI, can't change taskbar, crashing king
I also use Firefox and though the display of IE6 (and7) is better, Firefox is very stable. IE6 never srashed (not with me) but IE7 crashes several times a day. Could be because I have other progs running, but this was never an issue with IE6.
User Rating: 1/10
Garbage, Trash, Ribbish, Refuse
Pros: Good For Secure sights only
Cons: Only good on secure sites
User Rating: 7/10
It's okay, if it is rated by basics.
Pros: Good interface once you're used to it.
Cons: Certain websites don't support it.
User Rating: 8/10
Definitely a B+. A solid 8 out of 10.
Pros: RSS Feeds, Tab Management (CTRL+Q), Better Printing, Speed, ActiveX
Cons: No native spell checker...hmmppphhh :-(
Internet Explorer 6 was never a particular favorite of mine, but I did use it on occasion for certain websites that used ActiveX components. Otherwise, everything I did was in Firefox.
Internet Explorer 7 includes all the updates I use frequently, and does an excellent job of handling RSS feeds. I also really like that the look is better laid out than IE6.
I have Opera, FireFox, and IE7 all installed on my notebook, but I'm slowly finding myself using IE7 more than Firefox simply because I find it a little bit faster and can e-mail whole web pages.
Good job Microsoft.
User Rating: 3/10
I wouldn't take it if it were free...... wait it is free...
Pros: tabbed browsing, anti-phishing, pop-up blocker
Cons: tabbed browsing looks clunky, pop-up blocker, fuhgedddaboutit
User Rating: 3/10
Switch to Firefox
Pros: Well, the colors and fonts look nice!
Cons: There are too many to name here
User Rating: 6/10
It did improve
Pros: The security is better.
Cons: It still has lots of glitches.
User Rating: 1/10
Better than IE6, but worst among the modern browsers
Pros: Better than IE 6.
Cons: Microsoft just can't make a good software. Even though it's embedded into their OS, page rendering is terribly slow and opening tabs takes the same time as opening a window (Compared to Opera and FF)
1. Less secure than Opera and FF (spyware and viruses)
2. Slower compared to other browsers.
3. less standards compliant
4. MS Will not upgrade to IE8 unless ppl keep switching to other browsers.
5. It's made by Microsoft who just can't make good and secure software.
6. It's integrated into the OS and won't work when OS gets infected.
7. Not customizable.
8. UI sucks big time (can't move buttons around). Tab bar has bunch of icons which can't be removed. Can't move tab bar to the bottom of the page.
9. Slow rendering of pages
User Rating: 4/10
It needs to be debugged
Pros: It is good for upgrading to better explorer
Cons: It makes my computer run slow
User Rating: 2/10
Uber-crap...
Pros: It connects to web pages...
Cons: Does absolutely zilch to improve ie6 and actually makes it worse in places
User Rating: 3/10
Call the exterminator, this system's full of BUGS!
Pros: Modern and conveniently designed tab browser, favorites & history and toolbars.
Cons: Limited toolbar options for modifying size. Bugs & Glitches cause too many errors that go uncorrected.
User Rating: 5/10
Go back to IE6, Please!
Pros: Microsoft has dropped the ball on this one.
Cons: Too many problems to mention.
Sorry I made a mistake with my rating , it's not a 5 rating. Try 2 stars! Too many bugs!
User Rating: 5/10
Microsoft......True to form....You knew this was going to happen.
Pros: Oooo... ain't it purdy? It runs more like Firefox (pro...con... well, that's really up to you, isn't it?)
Cons: It mimics Firefox, but not well. As usual Microsoft put out a bug filled product.
Don't get me wrong, I like to b#### as much as the next person when something truly sucks, but come on. This is Microsoft we're talking about. We know this crap is going to happen. Every time they put out something new it is garbage. Let's be honest here, they push buggy products out live ALL THE TIME!!! It's the way they do things. Keeps you coming back to them for updates/fixes. If you don't want to go through this crap then I suggest you wait AT LEAST 6 months before updating your computer with IE 7. I updated my work computer only because I had to. Even then I held off for as long as I could before installing. I?ve had it freeze up on me so many times I can?t help but laugh at it now. We all saw this coming though, that?s why I wouldn?t install it on my personal machine. Hey, I?m like you, I like it when programs work. What a novel idea huh?
While I'm sure they do their Beta testing, the problem always lies in the fact that they will go live with bugs because that is the way they are. They aren't going to change. I mean how many years have they been doing this now? Seriously, how many?
Wait until the public or as I like to refer to us "Level 2 Beta Testers" put in all our complaints about how it freezes, how if you use eBay this will totally screw you, blah, blah, blah. Once you've given them a chance to go through these, THEN install it on your computer. Keep in mind they won't fix them all.... there will still be some left in. These are the ones deemed not high priority.
That said, I was a little surprised how they decided to just copy Firefox... Well, copied to an extent. I still think there are things that they should and shouldn't have done, but those are just my opinions, my preferences. All in all, once this browser has gone through the normal MS paces it will be a great browser, but for now, I would stick with IE 6 or Firefox. These will serve you much better and if you stick with IE 6 you'll already know what's wrong so you won't get pissed off with it.
So seriously people... Quit complaining. You all know this is going to happen with EVERY product launched by Microsoft and this will never change. Yes, the more you complain with most companies, you will see them change their ways and shape up some. But come on, this is Microsoft, they've got us by the short 'n curly ones and they don't plan on letting go. Still don't like that? Great, good for you. There are alternatives... Take them!!!! Remember it's YOUR choice.
Oh, and for clarification?. No, I?m not a Microsoft fan. Quite frankly I have an inexplicable dislike for Microsoft, but I still use their products and I know what to expect from them so I?m never shocked at the pathetically low level of quality products they put out. Whether they are putting out buggy and security risking software on purpose or they are just completely inept, who knows. All I do know Microsoft products are like those off-road trails, ?Enter at your own risk?.
User Rating: 1/10
It is terrible
Pros: blah, blah, blah
Cons: blah, blah, blah
User Rating: 1/10
OH MY GOD..... I have thrown up in my mouth!!
Pros: Nothing is good about this "Browser"
Cons: I repeat Nothing is good about this "Browser"
User Rating: 1/10
Move the refresh and stop buttons? What where they smoking?!
Pros: tabbed browsing
Cons: a completely inane button / toolbar layout
From a usability standpoint, IE7 is an unbelievable failure. It does have some strong points (like finally having tabbed browsing), however the lack of customization just blows me away!
User Rating: 4/10
I switched from IE7 to Firefox
Pros: Fixes security issues that existed in IE6.
Cons: Bloatware, phishing filter slows download times, can't issue personalizied security options
Will Microsoft EVER release a product that is NOT bloated and delivers quick performance???
User Rating: 2/10
Worst New Release Ever of Internet Explorer!!!!
Pros: Phishing Filter, Clean Appearance, RSS Feed Feature
Cons: Greater Impedement Of Space At Top, Can't Rearrange Menu Bar/ Can't Unlock Tool Bar
Four of my friends and I immediately switched back to IE6 after we download IE7, used it for a few minutes and yelled ?YUCK!? There are some good points to IE7 but where Microsoft really messed up is rearranging all the of the menu tool bar functions and then making it so you can?t unlock or move them around. I downloaded the IE7 that is co-opted with Yahoo so maybe Yahoo is partly to blame but I doubt it.
And to top it off, they seem to make IE7 difficult to uninstall if a person doesn?t like it?.And IE7 still has bugs. It also runs much slower than Mozilla Firefox?s browser. There is no excuse for a new release of software to have bugs. Microsoft has only lost 10% of its market share to Mozilla Firefox, so I don?t what they?re worried about. 10% is in no way near the majority of the public, which says to me that most people were just fine with the designs of IE6 and previous versions of IE. What we wanted was better security, not to have controls rearranged and hidden so we can?t find them, duh Microsoft. Newer and different doesn?t always mean better.
I would also like to add that I have gotten viruses and some problems with using versions of Microsoft that weren?t this latest release, but the difference is that people like me are smart enough to fix them. That?s what I used to do. I just fixed the virus and trojan horse problems and went about my business. What?s the big deal? Yes this also caused me to use Mozilla Firefox browser more, but so what? I don?t understand how using one browser as opposed to the other makes a difference to anyone?s pocketbook since people don?t Internet Explorer comes with the operating system when you purchase a computer. It doesn?t have to be purchased separately. Mozilla Firefox is free too, as well as many others.
When I went to the speak to techs on Microsoft they were quite rude and said I don?t have a life if I?m that mad about the release of IE7. I use the internet to make part of my living so I have no choice but to use a browser a lot. Considering that, I hope Microsoft loses 95 percent of its market share based on the way I was treated on their tech site and this latest release of IE7, which really ?stinks?. This, coming from a nerd like me. IE7 stinks, get over it. Cause when you think about it, if a person wanted IE7, they?d use MF browser, since it?s almost a identical reflection of Mozilla Firefox browser
User Rating: 1/10
Do not under any circumstances upgrade to...
Pros: !! Still trying to find some Pros
Cons: It works sometimes!
Running IE7 you will encounter the following message a lot:
Internet Explorer Cannot Display The Webpage. Most Likely Causes:
-You are not connected to the web.
-The website is encountering problems.
-There might be a typing error in the address.
Microsoft should have addded an additional cause:
-Internet Explorer 7 does not work to the high standards you would expect from Microsoft.
For the first time since IE has been available i am now considering another application! Message to MS - please keep it simple and make sure it works!!!
User Rating: 2/10
Garbage, wish I hadn't installed it
Pros: Pro? None so far
Cons: Webpages freeze up
If and how can it be uninstalled?!
User Rating: 5/10
Overall Improvement
Pros: Tabbed Browsing, Multiple-Tab-Page-Viewing, Multiple Homepages, Add-ons
Cons: Huge Tabs, optional below-second-bar File | View style menu, Difficult Access to Features, No W3C Compatibility Improvement
Due to lack of W3C compatibility and huge tabs, as well as many other features, it still is many notches below any version of Firefox, but is much better for Internet Explorer.
StopIE!
User Rating: 5/10
Still does not meet web standards
Pros: a bit more secure I guess
Cons: buttons are all over the place
Microsoft had more than enough time to develop a web browser that complies with
development standards.
Further its not that its old code its that its old unfixed code.
Internet Explorer has its place but it is not for mainline web browsing.
Internet explorer works quite well within an enterprise where preprietary code
works quite well for security and data transmission etc.
I've had 7 running now for a few hours and although I havent tested its capabilities
I'm not to impressed by its cosmetic design.
I installed it with McAfee running and had no problems however McAfee site reports that its update feature has been stifled by the new IE7. But lo and behold just as I finnished reading that I got a notice that an update happened succesfully, hmmm???
All in All upgrading to or installing IE7 is a no-brainer as much software is written to reuse Explorer code.
In the end I'll keep using the more secure browser (personal opinion based on experience), Mozilla Firefox, for my main internet experience. I use IE in developing
web content only because enough people continue to support it without the realisation of the extra work that is done to appease its less than compliancy to web standards.
Microsoft could have done better, come to think of it I am seeing more page errors.
I wonder if this will get posted guess we'll (or only I'll). see
I was hoping that IE would loosen its integration with the overall operating system, Probably still have to force Internet Explorer to be a web browser and Windows Explorer to be a OS GUI.
bcr
User Rating: 1/10
DO NOT INSTALL
Pros: I couldn't find any, because IE7 didn't even work on a fresh install!
Cons: sloooooooooooooow
The moral of the story is DO NOT UPGRADE TO IE7. It provides ZERO ENHANCEMENTS, and has ruined both of my computers, which were fully updated with XP SP2 and were supposed to be able to handle IE7. I have been on hold with microsoft's free IE7 help line for 45 minutes now, which of course does not employ a single native english speaker.
If you read this review please rate it as helpful so that it goes to the top and is able to help prevent others from downloading this program.
User Rating: 3/10
Wait for the fix before you install
Pros: Looks good
Cons: Unsable to use without an error masage and shut down
User Rating: 2/10
now I know why Bill Gate's phone number is unlisted
Pros: tabbed browsing
Cons: everything else
User Rating: 5/10
tab crash 90% of time
Pros: it will be great when they fix
Cons: microsoft never seem to make anything with bugs
explore 7 has lot of problems which is a pain .. netscape has the same browser only difference it really works.
User Rating: 5/10
Does not work with some software
Pros: Usually dependable
Cons: Viruses seem to go after IE
However, when I upgraded IE6 to IE7 I receive error messages that BigFix will not work any longer with IE7.
User Rating: 3/10
Crashes many times a day
Pros: Torrent availability
Cons: Not Stable as of yet
User Rating: 10/10
Good product
Pros: layout on screen is nice
Cons: tabbed browsing is OK
User Rating: 3/10
Worse than IE6
Pros: Anti-Phishing Protection... I Guess
Cons: SLOWER THAN IE6, Bad UI, File menus removed, crashes, buggy
(Only good this I've found in the anti-phishing protection...)
User Rating: 2/10
Crashes Crashes Crashes
Pros: similiar to IE6
Cons: Crashes Everytime
User Rating: 3/10
My favorite part was uninstalling it...
Pros: Tabbed browsing (assuming it worked properly)
Cons: Reduces system performance, seems to be a drag on resources, average load time for pages is atrocious compared to IE6
My biggest qualm with the new IE is the absolutely horrendous lag and load times. I have a fast DSL connection and a dual core processor, so the problem is not on my end, and none of these problems existed with my IE6 installation. The lag becomes especially nightmarish when browsing in multiple tabs.
I'll give you an example. I have two tabs open. I hit the back button on the first tab, and nothing happens for a good 30 seconds, and when I'm really unlucky, it crashes altogether. This also happens when switching between tabs. Overall system performance seems to be sluggish when IE7 is open as well.
Now things like this don't happen EVERY single time, but it happens often enough that has given me the impetus to install this piece of garbage. It may work fine your system, but I urge anyone installing IE7 to proceed with caution, you may end up feeling like you are on a 386-processor with a dial-up connection.
User Rating: 2/10
Not worth the effort.
Pros: Ahhhh, none?
Cons: Bad interface, resource hog.
User Rating: 1/10
Avoid at all costs
Pros: It is free and has tabs; uninstall is clean
Cons: Buggy. Crashes constantly. Won't open after last update.
What can I say that others already have not? IE7 invades your system and never lets go. Sadly, it crashes multiple times each day. Its unintuitive menu and navigation system simply baffle the mind. For example, why can't I put my menu at the top LIKE EVERY OTHER WINDOWS APPLICATION ALLOWS? It is a train wreck.
After the last update, it forces a RUN ONCE script on you. Why? Who knows... you ran the same thing after the initial install. Anyway, my browser wouldn't start. It went from running "fine" to not opening at all. It hung and I needed to manually kill the process to release it. IE support people on their boards said a RUN ONCE script had to execute and to "give it time". Well, I went shopping and had lunch. When I came home, it was still frozen. I had already re-installed, uninstalled, re-installed, blah blah blah and it didn't make a lick of difference. I had no toolbars or anything goofy installed. Finally, I rolled back to IE6, upgraded FF to version 2, and haven't looked back.
When you go to Microsoft's usenet boards, they are so arrogant and refuse to acknowledge the products flaws. Dozens of others on the IE board experienced my same issues. The MVP's tell you to let the script finish and they defend the silly, asinine menu system. Typical arrogance.
I am not an MSFT basher. I make my living developing Windows based applications with MSFT tools. At the same time, for the first time in my life, I am looking at Mac's and researching Linux. I am tired of this company.
Bottom line -- IE7 uses IE6 code with some enhancements. They felt the need to rush this abortion to market because FF and Opera are so technically superior you couldn't even compare the products without laughing at MSFT. They should have taken the time to rebuild the browser INDEPENDENTLY of the OS and released it in beta like everybody else. MSFT had no business making this a production release. Now they have lost me.
User Rating: 1/10
Brutal! Rip off of avant browser
Pros: tabs are a nice addition
Cons: everything else. It craps out all the time. All the menu items are hard to find. The tabs do not open correctly
User Rating: 2/10
not worthy ....
Pros: i like the new look
Cons: everything i can think of ...
User Rating: 5/10
Too many UI gaffes. I'll stick with FF.
Pros: Faster than IE 6
Cons: Moved Back button, hidden menus, unlabeled buttons
User Rating: 2/10
The reason to move to FireFox
Pros: Seems there are some good ideas
Cons: Many sites don't work, interface is worse than in IE6 - generally unusable.
User Rating: 4/10
Not as great as everyone touts it! Unistalled and now with Firefox. Did my homework!
Pros: Looks good. Tabbed browsing great!
Cons: No history button,No mutiple back button, Hotmail no longer works in OE, and more!
User Rating: 2/10
A complete disaster
Pros: Tabbed browsing
Cons: Full of gremlins
User Rating: 2/10
Poor Interface
Pros: Absolutely Nothing
Cons: Slow and Klunky
User Rating: 2/10
Run Away!!! Run Away!!!!
Pros: Pretty..........BAD!!!
Cons: Slow! Conflicts with other software
Looks very pretty and that's about it!!!
I agree with the others...FIREFOX!!!
User Rating: 3/10
Problem-creator, it seems...
Pros: Clean look; like the tabs; like the printing.
Cons: Locks up frequently, cause MS Office lockup, and even blocks ctrl-alt-del; hard to find old familiars (History!)
The fix--restart.
I rated it 3 due to these problems.
When Microsoft gets IE7 to interface well with MICROSOFT (!) Windows XP and MICROSOFT (!) Office, I will enjoy using it.
User Rating: 2/10
Keep Internet Explorer 6.0
Pros: None that I could find
Cons: Very slow, takes forever to open, & cannot move menu bar
I also noticed things like my fan working extra hard and running out of no where intermittantly. HP Director quit working and I had alot of trouble with my HP PSC, because I would scan a picture, it would say it was sending it to a photo program and never send it there. It took me an hour just to scan one photo and get it to take. All these problems were solved once I reverted back to IE 6. Also, IE7 is included in the Windows Update, so make sure that you change your settings so it doesn't automatically install and when the update comes, you will have to click custom install and uncheck IE 7 in the list and then install the rest of the update. Right now that is the only thing in the update, but they made add something else to it.
User Rating: 1/10
Horrible! JUST SAY NO!
Pros: No positives about this update
Cons: Internet Explorer 7 will slow your internet surfing to a crawl, even if you have high speed internet and your computer will crash more.
User Rating: 3/10
poor performance, nothing new
Pros: Displays pages like old Internet Explorer
Cons: hungs, annoying errors, built in search window
User Rating: 3/10
IE7 Stinks
Pros: Tabbed Browsing
Cons: The OS crashes
User Rating: 4/10
Instability
Pros: I don't see any pros
Cons: Very unstable
User Rating: 8/10
Great for vision-impaired
Pros: Screen enlarges better
Cons: I haven't tried it yet
I downloaded it but I've been using tabbed browsing for years, anyway, with Avant. I'm using Avant for blogging on my desktop computer, and Firefox for everything else; and I'm using Mozilla, exclusively, on my laptop.
Anything that lets my mother keep her independence gets a good rating from me. Readers may want to take this into consideration if they, or someone they know, have vision problems.
User Rating: 1/10
Microsoft tries to force IE7 on users....
Pros: All I can say is that it runs, and I'm only saying this because I need to enter a minimum of 10 characters in this field.
Cons: Big step back in terms of intuitiveness, important technological and security improvements not addressed at all. Installation of IE7 is snuck in via Automatic Updates.
User Rating: 9/10
The best design and security features
Pros: Internet Explorer 7: built in pop-up blocker, anti-pishing filter, built in feeds, Windows Live Gadgets, tab-browsing, faster loading, and more!
Cons: It requires to restart, but that's not a problem if you really want to be safe online.
But you try things yourself and let your eyes tell what to do, not what others say. Internet Explorer will provide you with the best and latest features in security, productivity and clearity.
User Rating: 2/10
New IE SUCKS
Pros: Can't really find any
Cons: Changed everything around and cna't find anything
User Rating: 2/10
IE 7 = computer constipation
Pros: free, cleaner font res, antiphishing (or so they claim)
Cons: slow, slow, slowslowslo... STOP
User Rating: 3/10
Stay Away from it !
Pros: Tabs, Tabs Tabs
Cons: Unstable, non conforming.
It a pile of trouble. Stay away from it until MS fixes it.
User Rating: 3/10
Major step back in usability
Pros: Improved Performance
Cons: Taken major step back layout
I have always had alternatives browsers installed but since the mid 90's have consistently stayed with IE due to ease of use layout controls and the look and feel.
Sure you can get a registry hack to move the menu bar back where it should be and change the clear-type font settings back, but I should not have to waste time doing such things.
Due to IE being so tightly intergrated into the OS there is not much a choice but to upgrade for increased security.
So may as well upgrade and just use Firefox. This since Firefox is a close as you can get to the IE6 layout and look/feel.
Well that did not last long. It is running very slow now. I have Firefox up accessing the same sites at light speed.
Some sites are either very slow, I ended up with DNS issues or cannot access them at all. Meanwhile when I call up Firefox they resolve and load fine-fast with Firefox.
Going to roll back to IE6
User Rating: 4/10
Not any better than IE6, more headaches
Pros: none that I could find
Cons: Security settings must be microsoft's
User Rating: 2/10
waste of space
Pros: none_____________
Cons: tabs & unable to use icons only
Unable to have icons only in the toolbar.
I only downloaded it so that I could try Defender which is also useless
User Rating: 2/10
Turns High Speed To Low Speed
Pros: Looks Nice
Cons: Doesn't do its job
User Rating: 9/10
Though we don't like MS, and though IE7 is NOT perfect, It is still the best so far!
Pros: Best User Interface, Very creative Menu and Tool bar, Best tab browsing
Cons: Lack of spelling function.
CNET "made" FireFoxe2 the best.
Toptenreview "made" Opera9 the best.
.....
Because of YOU, I had to try all the mentioned above Internet Browsers. What did I find? Well, I tell you:
1) None of them is perfect. They all are having flaws. The BIGGEST flaw of all those new browsers is that THEY DO NOT SUPPORT OR DO NOT FULLY SUPPORTS MANY OLD WEBSITES WHICH IS FULLY SUPPORTED BY PREVIOUS VERSIONS. Crazy! I hate that!
2) For Internet Browsing, IE7 is the best. Yes, I said Internet browsing. Widgets in Opera are ugly and helpless. IE7 surpass FF2 and OP9 in almost features including the most important: TAB BROWSING (Thank Mozilla). FF2, is poorly, does not have thumbnail, and OP9's thumbnail is suck (the guys in opera is quite stupid to make that function which is complicated and helpless)
3) The only feature that FF2 surpass IE7 is spelling. It is cool! (I love Mozilla. They are very creative and always go ahead. It is bad that MS is too big and they learn from Mozilla and make it better than!)
To my benefit, I wish MS quickly put the spelling feature into IE7. From now to that time, use IE7 unless you need the spelling feature very badly and cannot live without it!
User Rating: 5/10
IE7 update messes up HP PSC Software
Pros: Likes new layout
Cons: Not sure what IE 7 has done with setting
HP is developing a fix for this but I cannot understand why Microsoft does not communicate with other software so this impact is taken care of. Users are driven crazy by Microsoft all the time
User Rating: 2/10
Too many bugs!
Pros: light weight browser
Cons: Really Buggy
User Rating: 1/10
how to slow down your computer
Pros: easy to remove
Cons: everyting else about it
do not install it. keep using ie6 until the infestation(bugs) there are that many and also doesn`t even look nice
User Rating: 1/10
Aggravation
Pros: New tabbed browsing not all that great
Cons: Everything Else
I didn't need the aggravation. But when I tried to uninstall it, it was a nightmare. My IE6 was totally unstable and unusable. I had to do a Norton Ghost image restore to get my computer back to the way I had it.
Microsoft believes they can do whatever they want, and to hell with what the people want. Their philosphy seems to be "our way or the highway". They want to control the way people use their computers. They need to start developing products and doing what the people want because sooner or later; sooner I think, they are going to find themselves without any customers.
User Rating: 5/10
A9 search skimmer billed as something good - nice trick
Pros: It rings and tweets (has bells and whistles)
Cons: Notice the inability to go directly to your preferred search engine
Just who is A9 and who owns A9 and why are they so benevolent to want to receive ALL of the IE searches ever made?
If you have a brain you already know why.
BTW A9.com has a link to clickriver.com right next to their jobs link. Just a little hint for those that are almost brain dead.
I don't like being forced to do anything... especially by MS software. How about you?
User Rating: 1/10
pitiful connectivity poor broad band detection
Pros: nice look and nice multi tabs
Cons: pitiful connectivity
User Rating: 4/10
Firefox Imitation with Serious Flaws
Pros: Copies some of Firefox's best features
Cons: Screws up other programs, can't view some websites
User Rating: 9/10
Very good, nice change from the 5yr old IE6.
Pros: nice security, new interface, more options
Cons: some sites can not displayed, online virus scans causes it to prompt you about active content all the time.
User Rating: 2/10
Microsoft Should Be Ashamed of IE7
Pros: Tabbed Windows, Phishing Filter
Cons: Connectivity Problems and Multiple Conflicts
Well,think again. As usual, Microsoft has jumped the gun and released what should be considered a Beta version, as a full upgrade.
It's pretty and seems at first glance to be afine browser. However, I have had nothing but problems since installing. So many in fact,that I finally did a complete system restore.
Most of the improvements are non-functional and the ones that are just slow everything down.
I have a high -speed connection and never had problems opening my browser, until IE&, that is. It would jsut freeze, crash, or say I wasn't connected to the internet.
Stay away from IE7! Unless you want to be used by Microsoft as a guinea pig.
User Rating: 4/10
IE7 Review
Pros: Tabbed Browsing
Cons: Blurry Fonts
Wondering if it's just my computer, or is that how it is?
User Rating: 4/10
UI took a big hit
Pros: slightly more secure but don't rely on it
Cons: even linux apps are more user friendly
It's one thing not to be better than Firefox or Opera. But to be worse than IE6...now that's sad.
It still doesn't let you search favorites, show multiple open folders or add keywords (nicknames in opera). You can't view the complete history - let's say you check out apple.com and click on a few links. History just shows apple.com and not the other Apple pages you visited. It's all very 1 dimensional.
As for security, there may be some improvements but you can never really trust IE on this. So I would install IE7 because IE is unfortunately part of Windows but there's no point in using it. Just use Firefox or opera if that's your cup of tea. It takes a lot of hard work to take on Microsoft and these browsers deserve our respect.
User Rating: 1/10
Piece of crap!!!
Pros: View any webpage
Cons: slow loading pages, many errors, no security, too long to install and download
User Rating: 3/10
Giving up using IE7...
Pros: at least better features than IE6...
Cons: installation.. performance.... GUI... CMI (cannot make it)
User Rating: 9/10
IE7 is a good browser.
Pros: It is very much improved over IE6. Has a cleaner interface and is easy too move around in.
Cons: No cons yet. Have had it for only 48 hrs.
User Rating: 8/10
Finally, creativity from the backyards of MS
Pros: It's speed, memory usage
Cons: verification and validation woes
User Rating: 3/10
Pawns in the Google Wars
Pros: Aggressively simplified
Cons: Read on . . .
For want of space, I leave quickness and security issues aside, and I use toolbar efficiency to present a theory and to express my dismay with Microsoft.
So, let's talk toolbars. I am an IE6 user. (I tried Firefox a year or so ago, but I abandoned it for failure to display certain websites correctly, that I use quite often). My toolbars are customized and third-party supplemented. This is a natural consequence of experience. I do not fault the big buttons, big labels, and big prominences of default toolbar configurations any more than I oppose the big letters in grammar school texts. I do not rail against the simplicities of built in capabilies, vis a vis the expanded feature sets of third pary add-ons. Default toolbars and native tools must needs be tailored for everyman, including multitudes of casual users and relative newbies.
Consequently, I downloaded IE7 with every expectation of needing to customize it to my liking. First I attempted to remove the big forward-back buttons. I do not use them. I use my mouse. But I could not. Then I tried to make the address bar much smaller, to save space. I don't need it much, what with the proliferation of buttons these days. But, unlike IE6, I could not. I must be wrong, I thought, and I tried again. But I could not. Finally, I tried to remove the search bar. (I use Google. Customized with their new Button Gallery, it is nothing short of phenomenal.) But I could not. Again, I couldn't believe it. Again, I tried again. I couldn't believe it, again.
I stared at the entire top toolbar, almost none of which I wanted, but ALL of which was now obligatory. Why would they do that?
So I tried to move my Popupcop toobar up there (Popupcop, reduced to the slider and 'stop animation' button, is a wonder), hoping it'd scrunch the address bar smaller. But I couldn't. Couldn't add ANYTHING to the top toolbar. Widen the browser window and the *&*% address bar just got bigger to fill the void. Why would they do that?
Then I discovered that IE7 seemed to force my supplemental toolbars into their own toolbar row at each IE7 startup. Then it hit me. I'd have spit at Gates if he were sitting next to me. Freakin' avaricious nerd.
IE7 isn't about helping me. It's about wresting me from the clutches of Google; or rather, annoying me into abandoning it in favor of Microsoft's feeble imitation. That's why the address bar is so big, and the forward-back buttons are immutable. They're space-fillers to keep that search bar up there and promient. Oh, I can have my Google and my Popupcop and my Robocop toolbars, et al. I just have to put up with the annoyance of reduced browser space, because the NEW Microsoft toolbars ain't goin' anywhere. Customization present in IE6 has been REMOVED. That just plain sucks.
I assume, of course, that Microsoft knows people like me will get peeved; but they don't care much, for there aren't enough of me. A hundred casual users will swallow it for every one like me. A hundred newbies will accept the label of IE7 as, ludicrously, a high priority security download, thereby properly foisted upon everyone by Autoupdate's default 3PM installation - - - Geez.
I have uninstalled it. I may stay with IE6, but I'll definitely give Firefox another go.
User Rating: 2/10
I am going back to IE 6!
Pros: More secure
Cons: Keeps stalling and oh so slooooowww
User Rating: 7/10
Looks more like Opera than IE6
Pros: The sharper text is good, nice to see a zoom feature and a RSS feed add on
Cons: What happened to the History button? Toolbars are not moveable, confusing having two search boxes until yuo turn one off.
User Rating: 5/10
Not ready for primetime yet.................
Pros: Enhanced Interface and security
Cons: Flash, Shockwave and Java do not install; sometimes security detrimental to workflow
As a note those who use WSUS will not have to worry about this installing automatically as this update is set to "detect", they also make a group policy patch as well for those without WSUS which I recommend unless you get a rush from being dangerous. I'm grading this one a 5 out of 10 in the hopes that Microsoft will get it together within these next 6 months. For those who have had it with IE, go over to Mozilla and see what IE7 should have been.
User Rating: 4/10
Mediocre. A blatant attempt to gain market share. AGAIN.
Pros: Printing, anti-phishing
Cons: Security, (in)stability
Just like they did with Windows 3.1 (IBM OS/2) and Windows 95 (Macintosh)
It's not often they truly think of their own ideas. But I like Windows because it is very easy to use because of the menu-driven systems, and I think that IE7, Windows Vista, Office 2007 and WMP 11 (since they are mostly image-driven) will not be as successful as we all think. The reason being, not everyone can accustom to change that easily, and Microsoft are shooting themselves in the feet by doing exactly that.
I was using the Beta 2 - on a slow machine. I realised now that I am running XP once again, that IE7 when run in its final release, on a fast machine, is a browsing pleasure. Plus, the page zoom is great for a friend of mine who needs that. Yes, I know Fx has that, but it isn't as obvious to me or her!
I also think when people say it is a copy of Firefox, WHAT A COMPLETE UTTER AND LOAD OF RUBBISH!! It looks N-O-T-H-I-N-G like Firefox! AND, installing it in XP essentially de-integrates it from Explorer, meaning if you type a web address in explorer, the browser is launched - and vice versa.
In short - I like it.
User Rating: 3/10
IE7 needs much more work!
Pros: IE7 is going in the right direction. Excellent changes!
Cons: Needs way too much work! Definitely wait on this one, too many problems.
When you zoom, initially text displays incorrectly, it's all over the place!
Browser really is slow opening, and loading WebPages can be much quicker?.pathetic!
I just can't believe Microsoft made this browser without any flexibility with concerns to the Menu and Toolbar. They don't allow you to move the bars around like in their IE 6 version. Sure, you can add things to it, but it gets place on the bar with the rest without allowing you to move the rows around.
I do have to admit though, I'm liking the tabbed browsing, the cleaner interface, and how you can get the Menu to appear just by clicking on the ALT key, and then again to get rid of it.
I really love these features MS added for IE7 as well as the above mentioned:
1. Clear type fonts, they make reading much easier.
2. Anti-phishing, great idea for the much needed improved security.
3. Quick tabs option which allows you to see thumbnails of all tabs within the active browser.
4. And last, but not least, the RSS feed.
I think Microsoft had the right ideas, but left it unfinished. I think they only had one thing on their mind, and that's beating their competitors to the punch. Here's an idea Microsoft, if you want to better compete with your competitors, try making a product that's bug free, or at least close to it. A product is no good if all you have is problems.
What really upset me the most is that MS actually had the nerve to make IE7 a mandatory update with the Windows Auto Update. They could have first work out a ton of bugs first.
Thanks for the new browser MS, I'm always looking for more problems to deal with!
User Rating: 9/10
Its a great product - CNET reviews are baised
Pros: Websites work!
Cons: Its is a Microsoft product
User Rating: 1/10
Unstable, deletes all cookies w/ each reboot(i.e.Gmail)
Pros: Tabs, Looks pretty
Cons: Buggy, freezes up; MS.exe came with it
A trojan downloaded with it.
User Rating: 2/10
Come on Microsoft...
Pros: Erm... works, I guess
Cons: Insecure, Buggy, Horrid Interface, Closed Source, Overrated, Featureless, and a copy of Firefox and Opera
First off, the interface is a disaster. Firefox, Opera, and indeed, IE6 all have a light interface that is easy to navigate. With IE7, it looks like Microsoft came up with a random interface generator, inserted IE6, and took what it spat out as IE7. It is by far the worst browser interface ever.
It is probably a tad more stable than IE6, but then again, that's not saying much.
Tabs are nice, but they ripped off, and frankly insulted, Opera and Firefox. They are too wide and don't have as many features as the latter two (especially in their most recent versions).
I haven't had much of a chance to go around checking security holes yet (as I use Firefox as my main browser), but I don't like how Microsoft is just addind on a bunch of bloated security systems onto a browing engine that, by nature, is insecure.
So what do I recommend? Depending on your preference, go out and get Firefox 2 or Opera 9.
User Rating: 3/10
Wont beat Mozilla
Pros: The new design of it. The quick way of adding favourites or viewing them.
Cons: Doesn't seem to be quicker than Mozilla
User Rating: 9/10
Ignore Cnet on this one. Flawless
Pros: Installed at rapidfire speed
Cons: none (total install and reboot time: 5min 40 seconds)
l.
User Rating: 8/10
Works fine for me!
Pros: Web pages load faster than IE6
Cons: I expected more improvements than I've seen so far
User Rating: 6/10
Better than but could be better
Pros: Finally has Tabs / Anti Phishing measures
Cons: 2000 Professional not supported, only XP and higher
My main desktop at home is still a windoze 2000 based OS.
But IE 7 doesn't support 2000 and will not load onto that machine.
Although I plan on upgrading my desktop in the near future, it won't be until Vista is out in retail. Am not willing to risk the hardware pitfalls in investing that kind of money on a computer that is not certified for Vista.
This app isn't enough to risk the hardware pitfalls of buying a desktop without Vista loaded.
So now I feel that I have been left ignored and exposed with lack of support.
Especially given the delays Microsoft incurred on itself in bringing Vista to the market.
User Rating: 6/10
Where did they get there engineers from.
Pros: It does work a little different but it works.
Cons: How can a company like I E put this on the market.
User Rating: 7/10
The (mis)Truth About This CNET Review
Pros: Tabs, feed detector, faster, more screen real estate
Cons: Takes some getting used to, not as configurable in some areas
Facts: The installation process was almost no different than most applications and Vamosi is either an inexperienced simpleton or thinks you are. It's almost standard practice to always turn OFF virus protection when installing new applications so his statement that it's a "strange" request is beyond strange. No, it's not always necessary but we are installing an app that has its own tools (which didn't conflict with my NOD32 virus protection that I didn't turn off) and integration into the OS and not a calculator. Speaking of which, Vamosi continues with his obvious Microsoft bashing by "highlight" that it requires rebooting but Mozilla does not. Didn't we say that IE has integrated components that differ from FF or did Vamosi not read the other articles that regularly appear on CNET? Same thing goes for the kiddies, spouting programming platitudes that nothing should require a reboot.
My first thoughts - I didn't like the new IE at first glance at all. Even now it does look a little awkward. I don't like the smaller buttons (even made large), they can't be moved, I miss just the simplicity of the File-Edit-View menu system, don't care for the refresh button being placed at the top, like the history button where it was but realize maybe it's better placed now and that combining history/favorites the way it is was actually rather cool. After a few minutes I realized that I still didn't like some things but part of it was getting used to the new system and understanding why it was done.
First, you will notice a huge change in screen real estate without all the prior menus that used to be there. It's really nice and in comparison to Firefox, it's downright shocking - especially on smaller screens. The price you pay is that there is clutter on top of the browser and you can't fit in as many tabs as cleanly and nicely as Firefox.
Second, some things are made easier but for people that know how it's a little awkward. For example, there is a weird blank tab that sits next to your sites that when you put the mouse over it you realize creates a new tab. Is this necessary? Not really and is a bit of an eyesore but it's there and easy to use.
That said, I realize I don't like the layout but for the most part I didn't really use the top portion a whole heck of a lot. Most of my time was spent in the browsing window which is MUCH larger. I still don't like the limited space for tabs and prefer the Firefox approach. You also can't move the buttons like a freeform approach in MS Office and Word, etc. The tab bar is very crowded sharing the same line as the tools. QuickTabs is very cool, where you can see a preview of the page for every tab you have open, useful if you have like 10 tabs.
I didn't like the install process, which requires validation of my Windows software. It's a tough question to answer since piracy is an issue although we have come to accept that at least the browser has been traditionally free. We should get over this and deal with it. Others have even more reprehensible practices than MS and you don't hear as much complaining.
Reading other reviewers made me realize that 50% are juvenile ranting, parroting words they heard about security issues, etc. How do they know? Because they read that MS needs to fix its phishing tools, etc. It's a way to add to the garbage heap with nothing new to say.
So my final conclusion is that there is a big difference between 6 and 7. It will take some getting used to, like it or not. Out of the box it is not so intuitive but, like most software, you get used to it and it's not like there is so much to learn. I think part of the placement is rather awkward but it does do everything. The added screen real estate is better than I thought and the best reason to use the software. Tabs are good although the top of the browser can get confusing. I do think version 7 needs some work done but Microsoft will make the improvements. I'll continue to use them both but will likely use IE more for my laptop and deal with the tradeoff since the screen real estate is about a good inch larger in IE. For my desktop I may use Firefox's more finished look and feel but who knows just yet what I'll prefer. But I do know that the reviewer is a moron.
User Rating: 4/10
great format and graphics but slow
Pros: great format, great graphics
Cons: wouldn't access new sites, slow forward and back when browsing
However, after using 7.0 for one evening I restored back to my IE 6.0. IE 7.0 seems to have serious problems in ebay. eBay uses JAVA, maybe the problem is there, dunno, don't care. I like Internet Explorer and will probably switch to v7.0 but I'll wait and let the big sites prepare for it.
I'm just an average user but I do know when a program slows my laptop to a crawl. IE 7.0 did just that . . .
There were so many good opinions here about Firefox 2.0 that I decided to try it. GREAT program! FAST! Nice format . . .
Free, from Mozilla and a good browser it is. So, after using Internet Explorer for years, I'm now using Firefox and enjoying the speed.
User Rating: 5/10
Yikes! & Yikes Again!
Pros: There are no Pros
Cons: And there are no Cons
User Rating: 2/10
Prefer IE 6.
Pros: Not a Lot, stick with IE 6 or Mozilla Firefox.
Cons: A few and I am sticking with IE 6
Bet microsoft don't answer that one.
The new look is very messy and bitty. Fewer larger icons which I like and all made smaller with drop down windows. Went to add on a pop up blocker and an error occured so it did not happen.
Advise, if you end up downloading it and want the old one back like me, just go to settings, control panel, add or remove then highlight and click remove. The IE6 will return automatically.
Not sure how someone can spend so long on updating there browser bar and it is worse than the previous one.
I guess that's why everyone is using mozilla firefox as the reviews are much better.
Stick with IE 6 or download mozilla firefox instead.
User Rating: 9/10
Great Improvement!
Pros: Easier on the eyes
Cons: Can't customize the toolbars adequately
As far as not having a spellchecker....maybe it's better if people learn how to spell, instead of relying on a program to correct their mistakes!
I have seen no slowdown in loading pages, nor have I had any freeze-ups, which I occasionally had with IE6.
Since not all websites can be viewed with Firefox and Opera, I chose to stay with IE, and I don't regret it. I think many people are using this forum as a means to bash Microsoft...and they are prople who would do that no matter how good IE7 was!
My take on tabbed browsing is neutral. I keep several windows open at once and I prefer the old way to the tabs. I find it easier to see what I have open in each window by looking at the bottom of the screen. I guess everyone has their own opinion of what's convenient. That's why they make chocolate and vanilla ice cream!
Nothing is perfect and neither is IE7. I think they could have thought thru the placement of the refresh, stop and favorites keys. I would have preferred them all together on the same line as the search box. It would have been nice if that part was customizable, but maybe in future editions it will be.
User Rating: 7/10
Only used for a week, stuff I love, stuff I hate
Pros: Love the ability to increase size of print
Cons: Error on one time update every time I log on
User Rating: 9/10
Best IE yet
Pros: Tabs, navigation functtions easy & sensibly placed. Fast surfing. Easy on the eyes.
Cons: Would prefer movable address bar.
IMHO Microsoft's good browser just got better (I rate 9) & far superior to Netscape's Navigator (I'd rate a 6). Still superior to FireFox 1 or 2 (I'd rate 7.5).
User Rating: 3/10
I just didn't like it
Pros: it's new, they must have copied tabs from firefox
Cons: dislike everything about it
User Rating: 4/10
Loser! Too late, wrong changes!
Pros: Finally put tabbed browsing in the program
Cons: Rearranged toolbar and menu list that can't be positioned to user preference
If Microsoft will let me put the toolbar back where I want it (old style), I might use it more and give it a fair shake. They're not showing enough "new" to get me to take the time to relearn the interface. Firefox didn't require the same learning curve when I left IE. If Microsoft wants me back in their browser they need to fix that. Sounds petty, but my time is valuable and I don't want to learn something new that adds no value to the product.
User Rating: 3/10
Non in the same league as others
Pros: Nothing that is superior to Opera or Firefox
Cons: Resuming download breaks does not work well
User Rating: 6/10
much improved, but not enough to sway my vote
Pros: improved security and tabbed browsing
Cons: still playing catchup to Mozilla & Opera
The main advantage is for those who use IE as their main browser. IE7 is definitely a "must have" upgrade. Unfortunately, it is not enough for those who use Mozilla and Mozilla-based products (FireFox, SeaMonkey or Netscape). Opera is also still more feature rich than IE7.
User Rating: 2/10
I am not happy with IE7 can I get my old browser back?
Pros: It is pretty
Cons: Not functional, causes interface issues
User Rating: 7/10
Hey. Not bad!
Pros: Very similar to Firefox and Opera
Cons: Major P.I.T.A. to install, if you follow MS's instructions.
User Rating: 3/10
Not Impressed!
Pros: Not sure I have found a Pro yet.
Cons: Layout is messy, won't let me use my skins or tool bar properly
My husband has Firefox loaded on his PC but I can't use it since i'm the bill payer in the family and certain websites i use won't function with Firefox like our cell phone company.
User Rating: 5/10
I wish I could rate it higher, but it's just too bad.
Pros: Anti-phishing filter, and built-in tabbed browsing. Also, better standards support, and an RSS reader. IE7 supports non-toolbar addons now, which is good...
Cons: Still too little, although better, standards support. Also, the tabs and stuff are really cramped. You can't get to the menu bar anywhere at first! Also, it's still pretty insecure and slow...
Even though IE7 takes up less memory, it's still slower for me. IE7 doesn't even support XHTML, which is already a minus factor for me. I use XHTML for my standards-compliant pages, and I can't view them in IE because IE can't open them. They actually ask me for a download!
An improvement is the add-ons. Now, you can get them at a site called ieaddons.com, but all those addons, like IE, are proprietary, and some even cost money. One addon is the download manager, which should actually be built-in, like it is in Firefox and Opera. That is another major minus factor.
Despite IE7's attempts to streamline and compact the toolbars, they still bloat up a lot when you display them all.
If you still think that IE should deserve a higher rating because of all the improvements, let me tell you this: I would have rated MSIE6 a 3/10 if IE7 weren't out yet.
User Rating: 2/10
explorer seven is slow!!! 6 was better!
Pros: has phishing filter
Cons: it is much slower than previous version
User Rating: 2/10
don't even bother
Pros: looks pretty
Cons: installation
User Rating: 3/10
Don't bother upgrading.
Pros: Tabs and not much else
Cons: Error messages, poorly designed
User Rating: 7/10
IE7 Better than you think
Pros: easy to use, visually appealing, customizable
Cons: Buggy, prone to hacking, sometimes slow on downloading new pages
User Rating: 9/10
A nice upgrade from ver 6.
Pros: Tabed browsing, rss feeds, slimmer and more streamlined, favorites are better
Cons: None so far. It will take some getting used to
So far I like IE 7, the rss feeds the tabs, The tighter security.
It installed without a hitch. It had to restart, but Its been so long since I restarted the pc anyways.
I have been reading up on the upgrade for a while. Heard alot of complaints against it.
Mostly about people whining because the menu bar is missing. Its all still right there, just click page, tools or ALT.
Don't let the Fox in. Use Internet Explorer.
User Rating: 2/10
Worst browser ever!
Pros: Em...none.
Cons: Slow and unstable. Long installation. Ugly interface.
User Rating: 4/10
Copycat is not so good
Pros: Can't think of any
Cons: Cannot custumize as I like
User Rating: 8/10
Vast improvement for IE
Pros: Tabbed browsing, better security
Cons: Haven't found any yet
On my other computer (a 2.3 GHz DELL with 1 gig of ram) I'm running Firefox so I can do a comparison...even if it's not apples to apples.
To wrap it up I'd say the folks at microsoft liked what they saw in Firefox and tried to emulate it. IE7 is a vast improvent over IE6 and almost as good as Firefox.
User Rating: 6/10
IE7 ? No, thank you.
Pros: Tabs. More Secure
Cons: Slow to install. Slow to run. Just blah!
User Rating: 9/10
This is at least equal or even much better product when compared to Firefox
Pros: more secure, more features and much more add ons lilke live toolbar
Cons: none, I did not find any issues with IE7 yet
User Rating: 4/10
Worth upgrading from IE6, but Firefox and Opera are still way ahead
Pros: tabs are included
Cons: poor interface, not customizable
User Rating: 3/10
glitchy....nothing inovative
Pros: tabs browsing.....but its nothing new
Cons: looks bad, glitchy, firefox 2.0 is way ahead
User Rating: 1/10
Another Microsoft Failure
Pros: Finally the TABs that others had for years.
Cons: It has Microsoft written ALL OVER!!
I installed on the same day Firefox Version 2 and IE 7.
DOWNLOAD & INSTALLATION TIME:
Firefox: 3 min
IE 7: 20+ min.... required Restart
THEN... IE crashed 5 times in 10 minutes, and frozed 2 times in the following 5 minutes. One of those times required me to restart the computer.
Microsoft is a downhill company, they should simply give up. They suck and update after update, and software after software they are amazingly good at prooooooving that the ONLY successful word they know is: FAILURE.
Who uses IE anymore by the way!
User Rating: 6/10
Getting better but Firefox still Rules
Pros: Tabing, that is a big plus
Cons: lack of exstentions
Evil Empires cant do everything.
User Rating: 3/10
The bad IE, reloaded
Pros: All the copied features
Cons: None W3C Compilant, not free, not multiplatform
User Rating: 1/10
HAHAHA WORTHLESS
Pros: NONE AT ALL
Cons: THAT IT EXISTS
User Rating: 1/10
GET FIREFOX 2, IE SUCKS BUTT
Pros: THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT
Cons: THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY SUPPORT IT
HEY IE, "WIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" SHUT UP, "WIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" BOOOOOM!!!!
User Rating: 10/10
Internet Explorer
Pros: Review on Internet Explorer 7
Cons: Review on Internet Explorer 7
User Rating: 1/10
Sucks - worse than IE6
Pros: none whatsoever
Cons: Crashes everytime I close a tab
User Rating: 4/10
Still a nightmare for web developers
Pros: Better than IE6
Cons: Still way behind Firefox & Opera
User Rating: 3/10
not user friendly
Pros: possibly better security?
Cons: 1) Tabs disappear after a couple of log on (2) Favorites have been squeezed together tighter , in updating to IE7 from IE6 some bookmarks disappeared, adding new favorites cannot be found when lookin
Tabs kept disappearing after multiple log on.
User Rating: 1/10
Horrible like always
Pros: None at all
Cons: That its forced down your throat on Windows
User Rating: 1/10
SUCKS AS USUAL
Pros: YEAH RIGHT
Cons: EVERYTHING ABOUT IT
User Rating: 2/10
Big step backwards
Pros: Tabbed browsing
Cons: Everything else
The toolbar is set in stone and can't be customized in any way. This means that if you run any decently high resolution you have to contend with an address bar that extends across the ENTIRE screen and gives you no opportunity to use the extra space for other things (like Google bar, or whatever). Worse, if you run at low resolution you now have to contend with several horizontal toolbars that take away from your web page space. So no one is happy!!!
The tabs bar- while being helpful- is unecessarily huge (and eye-sore ugly). The Back/Forward buttons are insanely small. When you make the Back/Forward buttons bigger (one of the FEW customization choices IE7 gives you), it also makes the already-way-too-big Tabs bar even bigger. Doh!!!
I've been an IE user and lover since IE 2.0 way way back. This is quite simply one of the worst releases of Microsoft software I have ever seen... and it totally missed the mark in a huge way.
User Rating: 6/10
Microsoft tries to copy Firefox
Pros: Tabbed Browsing, thumbnailed tabs, anti-pfishing
Cons: Confusing interface - at first, not as friendly as Firefox
Yes, Microsoft did have some other features that aren't standard on FF, but they can be easily added. The option to see all of your open tabs in one page as thumbnails was a very nice feature. Of course, you can do this with an add-on with FF... And with the recent release of FF2, the available add-on's are bound to multiply in efforts to mimic those that Microsoft created.
Speaking of add-on?s, I was very happy to see that IE7 had add-on?s ? similar to FF! Of course, as much of Microsoft?s offerings often do, the wind was taken from my sails when I started to browse them? 100% of all of the add-on?s that I have seen for FF are free? not the case with IE7?s add-ons. This was a huge disappointment to me to see that they are charging people to add-on to their browser?
On a more positive note, however, I think that Microsoft did very good in implementing its clear text feature in web pages within IE7. Looking at two identical web pages side by side ? one in IE7, the other in FF2 ? I have to say that IE7?s image is much crisper and easy to read. Reading a news story, for instance, is much more pleasing to the eye than reading the same story on FF2?
Yet, I think, despite their attempt to copy FF, I think Microsoft still missed the mark. Why couldn?t Microsoft integrate a spell checker similar to what FF2 has implemented? FF2 has bee in beta testing sometime now and it should have been clear to Microsoft that this simple, but powerful feature, was bound to be a hit? Oh well?
As a faithful FF user, I will continue to use FF as my primary internet browser. I still will be using IE7 for text-intensive web pages? My employer also has a proprietary intranet site that is only viewable on IE (not that I do things besides work while at work!)?
In conclusion, I do have to give Microsoft a pat on the back for a good effort. They have regained a little trust back from me, but I will remain faithful to my other love?
User Rating: 1/10
Is that all they can do??
Pros: More secure than IE6 (not difficult to achieve!!!)
Cons: Unintuitive interface, bad looking tabs ....
User Rating: 4/10
Mighty Labour Produces A Mouse
Pros: excellent page zoom feature
Cons: not even remotely standards compliant, memory hog, not very configurable
User Rating: 6/10
Massive upgrade, but still not quite
Pros: Much better than IE 6
Cons: Still lacks WAY behind in features
User Rating: 5/10
My take on IE7
Pros: Looks better, RSS Syndication, More "future-proof"
Cons: Harder to use than IE6, Can't customize button locations, Not web-standard compliant
I have 3 complaints. (1) The buttons (Back, Forward, Stop, Refresh, Home, etc...) are a little out of whack, (2) You can't customize the look of the tool bar or button locations, (3) The tab still shows even if you only have one page open.
I will commend Microsoft for at least trying, but I wish they would not play to the "newbie" crowd as much, and allow the more experienced user to customize IE to their taste. (I had to use a hack to get the menu bar at the top, where it should be in the first place.)
Overall, I will admit, I am a die hard Firefox fan. However, if Microsoft ever turns a better product, I will gladly switch back, as I use to be a die hard IE fan.
User Rating: 8/10
Cnet review is misleading. pls read this.
Pros: tabbed browsing, responsive, quick view, and a host of others
Cons: It doesn't catch a phishing site that is one hour old!!!!!!!
I wonder why he thinks windows asking for a reboot and asking to disable antivirus program 'strange.' This is blatantly ignorant - IE7 is different from other browsers cos it integrates with the OS, and I expect the reviewer amongst others to know know that installing a 'windows component' is totally different from installing any other software.
Perhaps the reviewer should do a little fact checking before he opens his mouth - u can in fact zoom with the scroll button of ur mouse in addition with the ability to use the ctrl +_ key, and u can also enter a custom zoom value - the zoom values are not entirely preset.
And lastly, I wonder why he concludes that 'microsoft continues a legacy of not patching its IE flaws quickly enough,' even though it has only been released less than a week'- this again is an example of ignorance (and if u are thinking of the exploit recently found, its not really an IE7 flaw -go figure)
In my opinion, IE7 looks and feel better than firefox 2 and I wouldn't hesistate to choose it over firefox 2, but again that's not my point but rather, Cnet needs to hire better, unbiased, objective, and smart reviewers, and relieve this guy and others alike of their jobs.
I don't wish to be mean with this review, I only mean to say knowing nothing about something is much better than knowing the wrong thing about something. When ppl know the wrong thing about a product, it not only hurts the manufacturers, it also creates a society filled with 'ignorants' alike, the effect of which is dreadful.
User Rating: 2/10
Cannot read any web pages
Pros: It only has one pro its "Free"
Cons: Does not work
User Rating: 10/10
this is a superior product in my opinion
Pros: excellence to the max
Cons: nothing of any consequence
User Rating: 9/10
Good Job MS
Pros: IE7 is all you will need
Cons: Still looking for any defect on it.
User Rating: 3/10
The new Security feature(s) is frustrating
Pros: It loads quickly, installation was seamless and thorough
Cons: There is NO Admin override to accept Security Settings outside IE's recommended ones
I spent 1 1/2 hours on the phone with a one-on-one Microsoft IE7 Tech Support person based in Nova Scotia, and we went through each and every one of my settings. And we both agreed my options (with my knowledge of Security) should've been fine. So with his suggestions and changes he/we saved the options, and reopened IE7, and guess what? No change. Not eliminating either the Warning Page nor the Warning Toolbar on each new window. He is going to send a memo to the Development Department, suggesting that somewhere, in the program, there should be an Administrator override, to accept the user settings and eliminate the Warning Page and the popup tool bar warnings.
I'm so annoyed, that I've uninstalled IE7 and went back to IE6 until this is fixed. If it is decided to NOT have this "fixed" then I"ll go to FF or something else that allows me to choose my own options.
Plus, if you happen to call the wrong support number you will get NO support at all, unless you agree to pay $35 an hour for support, even if it is your first time, and not calling for a "how to use IE" session. Luckily, my complaint to that was forwarded, and after 3 days, had a Tech Support Phone call set up (a Sunday afternoon) with a very patient, supportive, and understanding TS person.
I say, install this at your own risk. If you're at all interested in directing your own security settings, stay away. If you're an average level user, and wants maximum protection, then IE7 should be fine. I think Users should have a choice.
User Rating: 4/10
Internet Explorer 7
Pros: Improved Controls
Cons: Does not work with all web sites
Checked with one site they checked and said its still in Beta Stage. I believe this because I get into the sites with my other computer running IE 6
IE 7 is good but not ready yet may uninstall and wait a while!!
Would like to re rate this junk as total -0 Its hard to dump it locks out System Restore to.
Info I found was bad, one was good. Go to Add Delete make shure the check mark is next to SHOW UPDATES play with it, you may have to restart a few times and re check It hides it doesnt show on list, once you find it DELETE IT FOR GOOD !!!!
In Jan/07 all new computers will have there new VISTER replacing XP plus this !!!
HOPE THEY DONT SELL But they will most people dont know. Spread the word I do!!
GOOD LUCK
Would like to re rate to a -0 How to get it out its hard. Go to add/delete make shure there is a check mark next to SHOW UPDATES may have to uncheck and restart a few times its hard to get it to show up It will Remove it!! IE7 Is a REAL PIECE OF GARBAGE
Read a lot more reviews since I unstalled it
Wait until they come out with VISTA with IE& Jan/7 May be a real mess like Mil.2000
Good luck. Glad I have it out !!!!!!!!!!!!!
To remove go to add remove programs, make sure the check mark is next to show updates
Would rerate this as a -0 at best its total garbage
User Rating: 2/10
Go get Firefox
Pros: Tabbed Browsing
Cons: Slow, bad history, integration
Not to mention that since I installed, everything else on my computer also seems sluggish (Word, Excel, Acrobat, you name it).
MS added tabs, that caught them up with what Firefox did several years ago. If you want to call that a plus, I suppose you can.
If you want a real treat, check out what Konqueror can do, then switch to a real operating system.
I should point out that after writing this review and hitting submit, IE7 crashed and didn't submit it. So, I retyped and submitted it in Firefox.
User Rating: 3/10
Not Great and Not Good
Pros: Option to delete old passwords and saved links
Cons: Everything else, small back and forward button
User Rating: 1/10
Won't install - says my Windows XP Pro is not Genuine
Pros: Heard a lot of good things, but unable to try them myself
Cons: Must pass the Genuine test, which is often faulty, to be installed
BTW, I have used Firefox for over a year now. Just wanted to try IE7 - guess I'll stick with Firefox - no problems with it ever.
User Rating: 4/10
A feeble upgrade
Pros: Tabbed browsing. Better CSS support.
Cons: Less customisation options. The zoom function is bizarre.
There are very few options for customisation - less than in IE6.
The browser provides two options for increasing text size - the old text resizing option and a zoom option. Both of these have problems.
The old text resizing option remains as it was. You have to access it through the file menu or a button on the control bar. It still doesn't resize text set in absolutes. There is no keyboard command to increase text size using this option.
The zoom method allows you to resize using the keyboard but it totally disrespects the intentions of the developer. This zoom just magnifies the whole page. It doesn't wrap text. A horizontal scroll bar is guaranteed to appear with the first or second zoom. It breaks pages with wanton abandon. It is a usability and accessibility nightmare.
The tabbed browsing is a good development but it's not as user friendly Firefox tabbing. You have to click on each individual tab to close it, unlike Firefox where there is a generic close tab button that closes whatever tab is open at the time.
The favourites manager is still clumsy and time consuming to use.
It's just amazing that such a large software company can take so long to release such a feeble upgrade.
Anyone giving IE7 a score of 8 or more out of 10 should declare their association with Microsoft.
User Rating: 9/10
Its even better than that
Pros: Printing improvements, tabs, it just works
Cons: The unexplainable, unforgivable interface, and anti-phishing should be enabled by default
To anybody upset that SP1 or older versions of XP or, somehow, even older Windows systems, can't use this: You don't have XP SP2 because...??? Come on.
One more response to the Editor's review: How does this browser carry on the legacy of not taking care of flaws quickly enough? Its been out for 4 days with no vulnerabilities reported.
This was not IE's one chance to surpass Firefox. This was their one chance to wake up and begin giving it a shot.
Mission accomplished.
Now if only somebody could explain the incredible hack job Microsoft gave to IE's interface. Wow. I'd like to switch to IE for a few months to truly test performance, but I can't because of this.
User Rating: 2/10
I went through all the trouble of signing up with cnet in order to write a review on this program
Pros: a lot of new features included
Cons: what's the point? I thought creating a new browser was intended to make things easier, more comprehensible.
anyways.. I hate it why bother? the web-pages opened up slower than ie6. I give it a 2/10 the two points for at least making the software runable.
User Rating: 9/10
9 out of 10
Pros: DON'T MISS OUT ON GETTING EXPLORER 7
Cons: THERE ARE NONE
User Rating: 8/10
leave it to cnet
Pros: features most have been asking for, more add ons, still quick as ever.
Cons: it still has a few minor issues
User Rating: 10/10
CNet's review is not accurate...
Pros: Great looks, customization, addons, tons more!
Cons: I hate having to restart upon install. :8
IE7 is much faster and more productive than the other browsers, but I will still use Firefox.
User Rating: 4/10
Problems, Problems, PROBLEMS!
Pros: Looks pretty
Cons: Read below...self explanatory...
Robert
User Rating: 6/10
Good But Not Great
Pros: Tabbed Browsing,Phishing Blocker
Cons: Clunky Interface,Slow
I also didn't like how you can't adjust the icon(home,favorites,etc) size or position like you can in IE6.
As for security:you can make IE6 almost as secure as IE7 if you tweak the default Internet Options.
MS needs to go back to the drawing board and give me more features.
User Rating: 6/10
oops, forgot HTML again
Pros: nicer UI, less clutter, improved CSS
Cons: fogot to implement all of HTML
If it had had that fixed, I would have recommended it -- oh, well ... back to persuading everyone to use standards-compliant browsers again.
User Rating: 2/10
Pathetic and still outdated
Pros: This program is usable.
Cons: Security Holes, behind competitors, and it's inadequate
Furthermore, it appears that new IE7 interface is awkward... I perfer the old IE6 interface.
And there seems to be no widgets, extensions, or the like in IE7, as you do in Opera and fx.
I think I'll stick to Firefox for now on.
(The only reason that this review was saved from a 1 is the fact that IE, though with many flaws, is still usable.)
User Rating: 6/10
MS took the lawers to heart (gave up on "integration"?)
Pros: great out of the box
Cons: a step back in customization
User Rating: 3/10
it makes other prog. stop running
Pros: good browser
Cons: made my musicmatch stop working
User Rating: 4/10
Disappointing in many ways
Pros: Tabs, Page Zoom, Print sizing, Phishing Filter
Cons: Design flaws, important things can't be customized.
-IE 7 exhibits poor use of screen real estate with the Back/Fwd/Address/Search-bar, namely:
-it can't be moved and the address field can't be resized
-you can't dock the Links menu to it
-you can't remove the USELESS search bar, UGH! Who would use that tiny/robust-less search field when they can use the powerful yet free and user-friendly Google Toolbar? I prefer having the Google Toolbar fill the full screen width so I can click my search words and jump to them on the page. However, the Links bar will only dock there, so the best I can do is keep it collapsed on the right. I'm waiting for the day Google offers their own browser, they seem to do everything right - they're sensitive to what users want.
-Select Add to Favorites, and you're forced into an EXPANDED view of all your Favorites folders! For me, to find my target folder means scrolling thru six screens, and there's no option to view them in collapsed mode. Does Microsoft really need it explained to them that the fastest way to navigate a folder/file structure is by starting at base (collapsed) level?
-Clicking for a New Tab doesn't open to home page, even though I've checked the option "Open home page for new tabs instead of a blank page." Instead, it opens the "You've opened a new tab" screen. I've experienced this on each of three PC's tested, all running XP Pro SP2.
-Poor Security Support: there's no help what-so-ever for the custom-level Security Settings. Yes, the option to change them all is there, but you won't find help on any of 'em. For example, how many users know the implications of changing the "Loose XAML" setting? With security such a big issue these days, it seems quite neglectful of Microsoft to not even provide definitions for the 46 settings available there.
As a Programmer/Analyst who thrives on user-input before developing applications (for relatively small user-groups, <3000), it's hard to believe that Microsoft doesn't better consider the end-user's needs and desires as they serve the millions. I know there are add-on's, and I'll be checking them out too, but until the day comes when I can download the Google Browser (are you listening Google?), I'll likely be bouncing back and forth between Firefox and IE 7.
User Rating: 9/10
Much Better RSS Support Than Firefox 1.5
Pros: RSS, Nice Interface, New Security Features,...
Cons: It's Politically Incorrect To Say Anything Nice About MS Products
Like all software, IE7 will no doubt have some security holes, but its additional security features are a nice touch.
For a _real_ review of IE7, go to eweek or computerworld online. CNet'S obviously biased review is just plain juvenile.
User Rating: 4/10
Not There Yet- Too Fragile
Pros: Works like Firefox
Cons: When clicking the tabs link, IE7 crashes like the old Netscape.
User Rating: 8/10
I Like It.
Pros: Easy, intuitive interface, tabs are easy to use, easily configurable, better than IE6 by a long shot.
Cons: It hasn't worked well with my Microsoft biometric device, but I'm working on it.
When IE7 came out, I wasn't all that thrilled about it since I didn't expect to use it that much and for that same reason, I went ahead and installed it.
Wow! I've tried to use Firefox on several occasions for various reasons and each time I would just go back to my simple to use MSN 9. Whatever the advantages were, the learning curve was too much for someone who just wants to surf the internet with the least amount of hassle.
Well, now that I've installed IE7, I find myself using it almost exclusively. It's been only a couple of days mind you, but I'm on the internet some 16-20 hours a day.
It took some getting used to, but not that much. Tabbed browsing, which only confused me in Firefox, is so convenient that it's worth the effort just for that advantage.
As far as the button setup, I really can't complain about that. So you have to spend a few hours getting used to where everything is. Big deal. It might have slowed me down for a bit, but I never had to give up and go back to MSN 9 so I could complete my surfing.
Those who are bound to other browsers won't be swayed by IE7 and why should they if they're happy, but in my opinion, anyone who can work IE6, but was never all that thrilled with it's feel and function will find IE7 to be a breath of fresh air.
For me, it's never been about bells and whistles. It's all about getting the job done with the least amount of futzing around. IE7 fills that bill.
User Rating: 2/10
What is with the Backers of the Dinosaur
Pros: Can't think of anything other that what I already do on Firefox
Cons: No adblocker, Way behind standards , propritory
User Rating: 3/10
Not worth the download time
Pros: It is Microsoft
Cons: It is not good Microsoft
The new interface is cool but with all the trouble I have had, I am finally switching to Firefox untill Microsoft can fix this piece of trash they called IE 7.
Only after I had to redo my system. With a fresh install of Windows XP, IE 7 actually works like it should. I have actually grown to like it and enjoy IE 7. Would use it over inferior Firefox and just about every other browser. It is easier to use and more attractive.
After having to reinstall XP and installing IE 7 did I actually get IE 7 to work as desired. I actually do prefer it to inferior browsers such as Firefox. Yes, it was horrid at first but with a fresh install of Windows, this browser has performed as expected.
User Rating: 5/10
Adequate. Too many years between builds.
Pros: It's new, seems safer.
Cons: Lacks ad-blocking, script-blocking, no spell checking
Another thing missing is customizable toolbars icons. The don't move. Sure you can change the order, but you can't place them anywhere you please. It would've been nice to have a spell check for filling out forums, ala Firefox 2.
User Rating: 9/10
I like it. The hell with Firefox
Pros: Works with every web site
Cons: Somewhat a learning curve because of differences from IE6
User Rating: 5/10
Tabbed Browsing is WAAAY Overrated
Pros: Supposedly More Secure
Cons: Tabbed Browsing is a WASTE, Controls Not 'Ergonomic'
IE is still the best browser--as long as you are willing to have a good third party internet security suite like PC-cillin or Zone Alarm (which you need with ANY browser or OS now a days).
The thing that gets me is that Microsoft bent to the pressure from the other browsers like Firefox by adding copycat features--TABBED BROWSING. MS should get with it. The only reason people use the other so called browsers is because they think MS is the Evil Empire--not because there's anything wrong with IE.
Tabbed browsing is the biggest waste there is. It does not make surfing faster, better or easier. It is actually slower, harder and worse. With different tabs it is harder to identify which page is which--if you keep several individual pages open in separate windows it is MUCH easier to identify which is which. It's been that way for years and its still that way now.
Nothing has changed EXCEPT that now the browsing controls Refresh, Stop and Home are a zillion times more difficult to find because they are smaller and further from the parts of the page that we look at--the center area (that's slightly left on a widescreen). Luckily, the Home button is movable, but the others should be open to customization, too.
Microsoft had to release something new to make news with all the competition (Firefox and Mactels), but IE 7 falls flat--you can't see the security upgrades, which are the most important upgrades and the 'upgrades' you can see are the controls that are now in the wrong places.
I'm still sticking with IE because its STILL the BEST. I can still surf the web about the same as before, but IE 7 should have been better.
User Rating: 9/10
Exceptional Performance
Pros: Very Fast, Very Secure, and forward thinking
Cons: late in coming
Certainly, it has the best, native RSS engine there is - it fully and beautifully renders RSS feeds and threads in XML and is easy to manage.
It has the best print support available, and provides the ability to scale rendered pages for printing - a lot bigger task than many people - even epxerts, can imagine.
It is both forward compatible with much stricter standards based sites - as simple DOCTYPE TAG insterted by web developers will tell IE 7 to use its newest kit, as well as backward compatible with sites built to use older web technolgies like COM.
However, it does handle COM in a much safer manner and builds on updates in XP SP2, which is why that is the minimum needed OS to be able to use IE 7.
IE 7's tabbed browsing support is implemented very well and quickt tabs will likely be very popular. Its favorites center to manage all one's favorites, RSS feeds and stored links is fast, and easy to use.
IE 7 has clear type on by default and page text looks great. It also has some great search options that respect user's choices - even for search engines like Dogpile that are not listed default options - any may be added, easily - even your own internal site searches.
IE 7 is very smart - it back ports some great code from Windows Vista and enables advanced caching, compression and a very dynamic TCP/IP network stack update that allows an XP SP2 PC to make better use of faster network connections. It also uses a special shell that forces code to execute "outside" of IE and not in it - this is part of how it delivers better security.
IE 7 also has as much available for developers and IT/MIS admins as it does users - including SDK's for the shell, and add-ons that developers may market via Microsoft's ieaddons.com site. While IE has always had a very rich ecosystem behind it, the new tools make it especially easy for developers to build next generation sites using web 2.0 technologies like ATLAS for AJAX and emerging technologies under web 3.0/.NET 3.0 Network admins will find the deployment tools and Active Directory integration very helpful and bsuiness owners will be able to count on more consistent and lower cost adminsitration.
Alleged flaws in IE 7 are not in IE at all, and especially not IE 7 - they are related to Outlook Express where inetcomm.dll is called from a specific reg key for OLE, only. Even for OLE, it's not much of a vulnerability, and Secunia's listing is overblown.
Users will find IE 7's native anti-Phishing filter hilghly effective and a rich a growing volume of add-ons to be extremely helpful - free add-ons for spell checking like iSpell, and very cool new tools from Trailfire.com begin to show just how accessible and powerful the new browser is.
While coming a lot later than I hoped, IE 7 is a very fine browser and it will rank highly for many years to come.
User Rating: 2/10
imitaciones... no gracias!
Pros: previsualización de ventanas
Cons: requiere reboot, autentifica el windows, y mucho más
User Rating: 5/10
I agree with editor but I have to report abuse
Pros: It is good try and has improved a lot (tools and look)
Cons: I should have arrived a year ago (mozilla is superior)
when I was updating IE7B to IE7 ,it validated my OS (until here O.K .)but it wanted to obligate me to do others updates but I didn't it and my IE7b changed to IE6! ha,ha
I dont care a lot about IE7 ,but I don't like abuse and prepotence and this is that, is it not?
M$ just thinks about money, they don't care about you or you didn't remember how IE was before Mozilla appeared? It just improved for fear to Mozilla!
You want to improve IE? use opera ,mozilla or whatever! don't be a fool.
User Rating: 4/10
Not worth the download
Pros: The quick tabs feature is useful.
Cons: The layout is terrible, clearing personal data difficult.
User Rating: 10/10
Most ridiculously biased review ever from the "anything is better than MS software" Robert Vamosi
Pros: Security, compatibility, features, flexibility, looks, memory usage, organization, speed
Cons: Instalation
Did Robert Vamosi ever think you should turn off anti-virus (not have; how many of us close every application when we're prompted to, when installing software?) and have to reboot because, unlike Firefox and Opera, IE is a core part of the Windows OS? No, of course not, his job is to recommend non-Microsoft software, it seems, and they put someone like this, someone who doesn't even know or understand something like this.
User Rating: 3/10
Is that what they can really make?
Pros: New version, new look.
Cons: Still finding them (the cons) everyday
Microsoft has taken too long to deploy such a non innovative software. Shame on them!
User Rating: 5/10
Inferior to Firefox RC3
Pros: Tabbed browsing
Cons: No adblock plug-in
User Rating: 2/10
Once again Microsoft arrogance shows it's face
Pros: Some added features and fixes over 5.0
Cons: Requires acceptance of Genuine Advantage spyware
User Rating: 8/10
Cnet reviewer major firefox fanboi apparently
Pros: Works on Windows X64
Cons: There are a few options missing still
Thus far has been a great browser but I would have liked to have seen a few more features. For instance, custom settings to empty cache / history / cookies or other choice automatically on exit. Another nice feature would have been the ability to set a default page for new tab instances.
All in all it's a good effort by MS. I like the new GUI and for god sakes, we finally have tabs built into IE.
--on a side note
I don't want to put down Firefox but if any browser has problems displaying web pages correctly or just out and out choking on a web page, it's Firefox. What good is a browser that doesn't display web pages correctly? Seems about as handy as a car you have to push everywhere to me.
User Rating: 6/10
Some good and bad, improved overall but not a show stopper
Pros: security features, tabs, rss, printing, search options
Cons: toolbar options, favorites menu, seems slower than IE6
The bad is that IE7 has some changes and features that are a bit annoying because you cant change them.
First of all, they went the minimilist route with the toolbar which is fine but there are very limited options to customize them. For one, the good old favorites drop down menu is gone. I still use the feature a lot and there is no way to restore that in IE7. Thankfully Firefox and Opera still provide the old standby.
Secondly, believe it or not, the anti aliased text is a bit of an annoyance. Its not a bad thing, but for those who arent use to it, it actually makes the text seem a bitt smudgy or blurry looking. It would be nice to have a feature to disable it. I prefer the crisp look of non aliased text. But again this isnt that big a deal.
And lastly, IE7 is actually a bit slower than IE6. This actually suprised me a bit because I actually prefered IE6 to Firefox because I personally felt the rendering engine was better. Now IE7 feels no faster than Firefox 2. Its strange but IE7 has actually made me use Firefox a lot more because of some changes. The fix now is for me to install maxthon on IE7. I wish IE7 had more of the native features of maxthon.
And one more comment on CNET. Its funny but over the years I've seen CNET change and there is an obvious minimilist, open source air to their attitudes these days which skews their opinions a bit. This recent IE review was so biased toward Firefox, and honestly Firefox isnt that much better than IE. It has many of its own faults.
Plus the trying too hard to abide by WC3 standards passe bleached white look of their current website is well white. Geez you need some colors on that bleached out page. Thats not the CNET from days gone by.
User Rating: 4/10
Why use it at all?
Pros: Trying to catch up to Mozilla and Opera
Cons: It's still IE
User Rating: 5/10
An improvement...but how good was IE6?
Pros: Tabbed browing,Phishing tools are giood
Cons: It is still IE and Microsoft will be patching this bowser for ever, just like their previous versions.
User Rating: 2/10
Still doesn't beat Firefox
Pros: New Look is okay
Cons: Still sucks though
User Rating: 5/10
IE 7 causes shutdown error when playing MSN videos
Pros: like the new interface and tabs
Cons: unusuable if cannot use video function for news, etc.
User Rating: 8/10
Stops phishing
Pros: Stops phishing, features are getting considerably better
Cons: still a little cumbersome
User Rating: 7/10
If FIrefox is so great why can't it display flash correctly
Pros: I like the look and feel
Cons: Move the refresh button back to the left
Thanks,
John
User Rating: 4/10
A step up from IE6; But that isn't saying much.
Pros: Better looking
Cons: Clumsy interface, Slow load times and compatibility Issues
Internet explorer is palying catch up; and failing, its competitors have set a new bar, and it is not reaching it.
User Rating: 10/10
A leap forward for all of us. Easily Outperforms Firefox for the average user.
Pros: Tabbed browsing . redesigned toolbar. Favorites center. Smoothest operation yet.
Cons: MS is always easy target for the editors of this group of sites.
If I listen to all you internet editorials I would be quite the fool. Average Joe personal webpage builder can't get his more interesting pages to open properly in Firefox and the guy with the slide rule is telling him Firefox is better than IE? Sure, most commercial sites open fine but I spend a fair amount of time on more personal web pages and need IE.
I acknowlege that it is good to foster competition. It keeps toose at the top on their toes. It discourages complacency.
But for my personal browsing enjoyment IE still comes out on top.
Why do I give it a 10? I rate on a curve, I'm still running latest Firefox - but heads up comparison puts Firefox at 5 IE7 at 10 in my eyes.
User Rating: 6/10
A good improvement over IE6, but lacking when compared to other browsers out there today.
Pros: tabbed browsing, search, popup blocker
Cons: User interface is weird and difficult to get used to, the installlation was just over the top.
Microsoft needs to catch up and get stuff out faster in order to keep up.
User Rating: 9/10
7 is very very welcomed...
Pros: Love the tabs.
Cons: Nothing yet!
User Rating: 3/10
It's a lot more sluggish on loading pages back to back with IE6 (except for MSN-related sites?)
Pros: Inconvenient tabbed browsing that slows down non-tabbed browsing.
Cons: I find text harder to read on LCD, It's noticeably slower
User Rating: 10/10
They go it right - Much Improved
Pros: Faster - Smooth experience - more secure - I have Opera, Firefox and IE7 - I use IE 7 most of the time
Cons: Can't do much to change the look or different skins
User Rating: 9/10
Don't Go by Cnet's review
Pros: Faster and more stable
Cons: Nothing major so far
And no, I do not own microsoft stock.
I've been using this browser for about a week and in my unprofessional but also unbiased take on it follows.
At startup it loads faster than Firefox and slower than Opera. Rendering pages is about the same with Opera being a little faster.
However, with both FF and Maxthon (an IE addon) I was constantly plaqued with CPU spikes and forced shutdowns of both. In the case of FF it was a 3-4 times a day occurrence and nothng I did fixed it. So far I haven't had that problem with IE7. It loads pages fast and appears to be very stable, surprisingly so in that I had expected the opposite. It also loads most pages correctly. For those that don't they have what they call a fiddletool available on MS website.
I had dropped Opera because some of my pages wouldn't load correctly, especially my banking pages even when Opera tried to trick them by acting like IE6. I know, I know it's the web developers fault for designing sites explictly designed to work with IE but there comes a point where it doesn't make sense to keep beating your head against the wall. Also Roboform which I like a lot isn't supported by Opera.
Unlike others, I like the new layout. The favorites button is easily accessed and disappears once you click a link. You can add your links bar but I've opted for more page real estate.
The anti-phishing feature is also an excellent feature though it may slow page loading a bit.
the RSS feeds are easy to use and more stable than the RSS tools employed by FF which sometimes mysteriously disappeared.
Overall after using the first beta version of IE7 which was a complete mess I am so far pleasantly surprised and really see no need to use another browser. A caveat is how it holds up on security issues. Being microsoft I see attempts to exploit it will by a lot more numerous than FF or Opera. Time will tell.
A suggestion for Microsoft. Add a button in the menu bar so that you can simply 1-click erase history, cookies, etc rather than having to hunt it down. Better yet, give an option where this is automatically done every so often.
User Rating: 8/10
IE 7 is nice
Pros: I like the phising capability
Cons: Problems with some Java sites
User Rating: 5/10
It would be nice . . .
Pros: Don't know, couldn't load.
Cons: cannot use on most OSs available
You wanted to know why so many of us bash MS; you now have a partial list of reasons. IE is a good backup browser, as long as I make all the efforts I can to keep it secure. Still, I am grateful I have System Restore on my machine cause I still need it.
As far as cnet bias goes, I am glad to have a source that is not beholden to the major manufacturers. Still, it seems they give credit when it is due, as in the case of MS's new free security tool for all users. Cnet gave it a top rating, Nuff said.
User Rating: 7/10
I could have lived with the old look.
Pros: RSS feed and tabs
Cons: The Favorites menu needs work
I did the upgrade last evening and it did not ask me to turn off my antivirus (Norton)program.
-----
I dislike the Favorites menu. If I could figure out how to have it drop down when I mouse over, I would make the change. It just seems like a lot of work for an area that I go too all the time...
User Rating: 8/10
Good improvements. Runs perfect. Still not the best
Pros: Load's pages faster. New UI. Tabs. Very easy customizable search box.
Cons: No download manager. No inline spell checker. No real-time search. No search for favorites. No session manager
IE7
This is a great improvement over IE6 in terms of functionality and UI. I like the new UI and I think it's been really streamlined and it looks great and it hides all items which are not needed on a daily basis. I do like the new UI over Firefox. There are a few items which are still missing: Download manager, inline spell check, session manager and real-time search for both the current webpage and the bookmarks. There are others, but for everyday users, I believe these would have been a real added benefit. The new UI takes some getting used to, but once you can find your way around, I think you will appreciate the layout of the UI.
OPERA 9.0 - The best
I believe Opera is the best overall browser. Granted that it's for advanced users, I find that it's the easiest one to use once you become familiar with all it has to offer. I've heard many complaints that Opera does not render pages correctly, but this is not due to the render engine of Opera, it's actually due to the websites not being standard compliant. I believe it has the cleanest interface, it is very customizable but not as much as Firefox. Very secure and I don't care if this is because it has a small market share so don't start bashing.
FF 1.5
I used FF for a while, but Opera runs circles around FF. I don't like the idea of hunting down extensions. Opera have everything I need. I think FF is a great browser and if it weren't for them, IE7 would not be here today. FF 2.0 might be able to close the gap between FF and Opera.
Use all three and see which one you like. Just remember that it takes time for you to discover all the functionality a program has to offer, so try each one for at least a month and see which one you like. Don't pass on IE7 just because everyone bashes Microsoft. I for one like their software and I think with an up to date Anti-Virus and Firewall and a little bit of common sense, you should be secure with any browser or software for that matter.
User Rating: 4/10
Two years behind the curve, kids.
Pros: It finally has tabs.
Cons: Still carries over bugs and security issues from IE6; not as fast as Firefox; won't render some sites; does not adhere to web standards.
This effort is woefully behind the pack in terms of features and security (another CNET article shows a hole already noted in IE6 still alive and kicking in IE7), and still does not adhere to web standards that have been out there for a number of years.
Who do these MS guys think they're fooling trying to throw their monopolistic weight around by pushing out this junk?
Recommendation: Firefox across all OSes. Safari for Mac OS X. Pros: Standards and security. Cons: None significant.
Get a clue Microsoft!!!!
User Rating: 2/10
acid2 test failled?
Pros: anti-phishing
Cons: a copy cat that fails standards testing
As to bias in reporting well you might be suprized to see Safari was the first to pass this test. Yet not even a mention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid2
User Rating: 9/10
Great product
Pros: Better than Firefox
Cons: Some websites showing up incorrectly.
User Rating: 6/10
IE7 Removes Album Art on Media Center!
Pros: Looks Good.
Cons: Took my Album Art from MCE
User Rating: 5/10
Shiny but unsatisfying
Pros: Shiny, more secure than IE 6
Cons: Poor tab navigation, takes over system. It is NOT as good as MAXTHON!
As for IE7 it kept trying to change all my file associations, not once but repeatedly. WinPatrol kept barking at me the entire time. I told it no once but IE7 kept insisting that it open all .URL files, and no one else.
Blech. Use MAXTHON for a TRUE TABBED BROWSING EXPERIENCE!!!!
User Rating: 5/10
Dinosaur Painted Different Colors
Pros: Tabbed Browsing, RSS Reader, supposedly improved security
Cons: Really slow, long load times, really long install times, bloated
I mainly use Firefox but I downloaded the final of IE7 because IE is so integrated into Windows keeping IE6 is too much of security risk.
The tabbed browsing is nice, and the RSS Reader is fine. Nothing new if you used Firefox... But...Nice.
First thing you notice about IE7 is the install process is a massive production in itself. It took me about ten minutes to download and install Firefox 2.0 (RC3) with no reboots.
When I install IE7 I had to first edit my registry and change some permissions because I was having install problems. Yeah, its all explained in the MS Help Desk, but does an average user know how to edit a registry? I doubt it, nor should they be.
Once I got the install running successful I had to once again validate my copy of Windows (why?) and the install took three reboots, and roughly thirty or forty minutes...Yeah, for a web browser.
The program itself loads with all the swiftness of a stuck cow, and in use the program lacks the nimbleness that Firefox has. Tab browsing is slow when switching between tabs, web pages still take forever to load...Same old IE.
I don't hate, I just don't like it. Nothing here to make me switch from Firefox as my full time browser.
Sure I'll probably use IE for the handful fo websites that use properiety Microsoft software and non-Standard design techniques to lock you into IE. But all the time, no way.
User Rating: 8/10
Sophimoric Story is hardly a review
Pros: IE7, a big step forward and about time for it.
Cons: No support for Windows 2000
Yes, when it comes to IE7, it is certainly about time that Microsoft got off its collective duff and updated IE6 with something serious. It is without a doubt way overdue for this upgrade. Yes, in many ways it is just playing catch up to features in other browsers. It is completely irresponsible that Microsoft does not release a version for Windows 2000. Win2000 is still used in extremely large numbers and this lack of support for it seems to be nothing more than a simple ploy to try and force people to start upgrading. The DOJ and EU should be giving them major grief over that rather than the inclusion of Media Player in Windows (who even really cares about that anyway). Browsers have become ubiquitous and are nearly universally needed by businesses of all sizes today, media players are not. That's my two cents on why I think IE7 is a grand step forward. But will someone at Microsoft please listen and be more responsive to your IE users (so far so good, just don't drop the ball now).
User Rating: 8/10
Terribly biased and amateurish review!
Pros: Tabbed-browsing, enhanced printing, much faster rendering engine
Cons: no radical new feautres, just matches what Firefox and others are offering
User Rating: 9/10
Finally a Zoom that Works!
Pros: Zoom, Tabs, RSS and Printing
Cons: Slow startup, Clunky UI, biased CNet
Tabs UI is better than Firefox that must be why in FF2 RC they change to match IE and Opera. Multiple homepages are cool too.
I like how the favorites UI hides once a link is selected. Printing is much better than FF and IE6, still needs some work though.
I agree we should be able to move around the UI buttons and what about skin support. I hope they do this in the next release.
Too bad a company that does so much good for people everywhere has to fight off this kind of crap review.
User Rating: 6/10
Better, but Not Good
Pros: Quicker, Safer, Easier
Cons: Terrible Rendering, Reboots, Still has security flaws
Internet Explorer (any version) is dead to me except for Windows Update. Period.
Oh, and it's an absolute joke that you have to reboot your computer to uninstall the RC of IE7, and then reboot AGAIN to finish the install of IE7 final.
Name me one other web browser that requires a reboot to install? What a joke.
User Rating: 8/10
The reviewer is obviously biased about a good product
Pros: Tabbed browsing and RSS feeder
Cons: IE7 requires re-learning where the buttons are placed at the top
Guys, this is disappointing.
IE7 is definitely an improvement over IE6 which is what most of us are used to till now. Hence, to compare IE7 with Firefox or Opera would not be effective.
On the upside IE7 looks fresher, has tabbed browsing and is said to be more secure.
The main downside seems to be having to search for buttons which are positioned differently compared to IE6 and hence is not intuitively in a place where we expect them to be. But this is a small gripe as I am sure we will soon get used to the new buttons.
Overall IE7 seems to be a refreshing change from IE6.
User Rating: 8/10
An obvious Firefox fanboy review
Pros: LESS memory usage than firefox, tabbed browsing on IE, brings many new features to catch up with other browsers
Cons: slightly slower on opening new tabs than firefox, still may be targeted heavily by hackers due to abundant usage of IE.
IE7 bring many welcome improvements that users has been calling for. Granted, most of the features were already present on other browsers, but that doesn't sway away from the fact that IE7 is a big improvement over IE6, and I applaud microsoft for their effort in terms of features and security. Too bad that carrying an IE name means it will be a biggest target for hackers, and there's nothing we can do about it. If Firefox was in a same situation as IE, I'm 99% betting that hackers will find just as much, if not more, security holes as IE.
User Rating: 7/10
Terribly biased review!
Pros: Tabbed browsing
Cons: Not yet up to the FF experience
I am not a fanatic of IE or FF, but I know a slanted review when I see one. This is amateur teen-level material and I wonder what CNET would say if this was a Sony browser?
Anyway, I like the improvements to IE, but still do prefer Firefox. IE is at least making some worthwhile changes. Who is to say this is it??
User Rating: 8/10
Obvious Agenda
Pros: Tabbed Browsing, RSS Feeds, Clean Look
Cons: Some Button placement is confusing
Honestly, should we bash MS for trying to make a better, more stable, more secure browser. Look at the reality, the majority of Windows users use IE, not Forefox, or Opera. So MS needs to be incouraged to perform and advance.
I have been using IE7 since beta. And have been extreamly impressed with the effort. You mention things such as the lack of Suggested Search Sites, inline spelling, and Thumbnails on the tabs. Do items like this really make a difference if the browser performs well and is secure. I know where I am searching for info. and if I have a tab open, I know what is on the page. Go to Google, type the work in wrong.. Look it gives you spelling suggestions. This would be a vaid argument if we were still in the days of Dialup, but with broadband speeds, how long does it take to submit a word to search engine.
Stop looking for the littlest items to reference, just so you can turn in a review that looks abundant.
in my opinion, CNET is going the way of G4 is with Sony. Lets just push our agenda, and forget about the facts. the ones we support will take care of us. So when are you going to start playing clips of Happy Tree Friends.....
User Rating: 9/10
I like it. It also seems faster than IE6.
Pros: You can now set multiple home pages.
Cons: None so far.
The file menu in not needed anymore. Those options now appear on the Tools or Page icons in more intuitive locations.
User Rating: 4/10
IE 7 is not ready for production
Pros: Tabbed browsing, RSS reader (similar to Safari), Some improvements in standards support
Cons: Incomplete standards support renders DHTML sites like slashdot's new comment viewing scheme wrong resulting in slow/jerky scrolling and overlapping text
I would not recommend relying on IE 7 as your main browser until they fix the rendering bugs.
Give me a break fanboys. If any bias exists, CNET is usually biased towards MSFT over other competitors. I think CNET was too easy on IE 7 in their review.
User Rating: 7/10
Once again.... lacks FIREfox...
Pros: Decent look and feel. Well implemented tabs
Cons: Still bad copy of firefox. lags behind competition..in many aspects
Bottom line is: If you try Firefox first then u won't like this. If you r still with IE6, please try this. U won't regret!
User Rating: 8/10
Cnet is anit-Microsoft
Pros: better overall look
Cons: It is missing some features of other browsers
and there are many things that are good besides the new look of IE 7...but my main point is that Cnet in general is always to harsh on Microsoft
User Rating: 4/10
A bad copy of Firefox
Pros: tab browsing
Cons: A lot of pages displays javascript errors and the user interfase is confusing
There are a lot of pages that i visit that shows javascript errors with the browser. Errors that IE6 doesn't have. So it looks like it need some patches before running fine.
User Rating: 5/10
IE is still not ready
Pros: it's not IE6
Cons: problems to install, some sites still render a bit funny
I applaud Microsoft for the effort but I'm sorry, they still fell short.
Installation problems abound, it froze twice before it actually installed and then I had to restart twice before it actually started. Having to disable anti-virus etc. to install fostered the big brother misgivings I have of Microsoft even if it is because of possible conflicts.
Bottom line - I am going to use it just for testing websites but not really for general browsing and I would advise people to use the other options that are open to them.
My Prediction - a slew of security updates will come out before the end of the year, Firefox will creep up slowly but with the empire behind them IE7 will still dominate, which is unfortunate.
Update: just as I said over at Secunia.com they have identified a vulnerability in IE7, according to them I'm vulnerable. I will still wait for the official word from Microsoft however, so this is just something to watch for now
User Rating: 8/10
A welcome update for IE
Pros: Firefox and Opera -like features bundled with IE standards
Cons: Non-customizable interface and higher requirements than IE6
IE7 is a welcome update to IE6. Notable additions include tabbed browsing and an integrated search bar. The art and style used for the new interface - reminiscent of Opera?s default interface - feels a bit cluttered and takes up more space than it needs to. It would have been nice to see some skin support for IE now that it no longer conforms to the traditional XP look. It also seems to require a little more in terms of system resources. Response and load times seem to lag ever-so-slightly behind IE6 and a little more noticeably behind Firefox.
On the plus side of things, for those who loathed visiting sites created with IE in mind without tabbed-browsing, your prayers have been answered. Believe it or not, there are still some sites out there that don?t function or look properly unless viewed by IE. Features like tabbed browsing, tab previews and an integrated search bar help to make the IE experience, while visiting those sites, a little more pleasant.
With all said, IE7 deserves at least an 8/10. It has incorporated many of the features that made competing browsers as great as they are while retaining the IE-specific website standards that we love to hate.
User Rating: 7/10
Who cares if it only supports XP SP2?
Pros: Not a problem
Cons: Don't know, haven't used it yet.
I don't care about the new browser, I haven't tried it, I just get tired of hearding how tech companies are somehow obligated to continue to support ancient products that aren't relevant anymore.
User Rating: 6/10
Don't upgrade to Final version of IE7 yet!!!!
Pros: I really liked using IE7 RC2
Cons: but did not like the faulty installation of IE7 Final
User Rating: 1/10
Useless if I can't run it
Pros: None that I can discover
Cons: Useless on Win 2K
Gosh. That's a stumper.
User Rating: 8/10
Not a bad effort at all
Pros: supports .png transparency at last!
Cons: still doesn't render .png colours correctly
It seems to have addressed the problems with IE6's rendering of div layers, and the frustrations IE6 caused when it couldn't place two divs side by side in a container when the combined widths of those boxes equalled the width of the container.
For developers who don't yet know of IE7's css workarounds... be advised that it will interpret the old html>body override for mozilla; but it has it's own html/**/body override that will fix any discrepency between it and other browsers.
My only complaint from a developers point of view is that the colours displayed from a hex ref in the browser will differ from the exact same colour when displayed in a .png graphic.
Usability has improved tenfold, and I like the addition of tabular navigation; but when I go to a search engine and follow a link, the browser's back button does not register that navigation, and by clicking the back button, I get sent to whatever site I was at before going to the search-engine.
Well done Microsoft; although it's not before time!
I found a number
User Rating: 9/10
Great update
Pros: New features of IE7 match or are better than Firefox . Security is vastly improved
Cons: What took Microsoft so long!
Microsoft needs to continue developing IE and not let it languish again.
User Rating: 9/10
Finally beats Firefox!
Pros: Everything
Cons: Slight Rendering Problems
User Rating: 7/10
An Improvement......?
Pros: Design modification improve visuals in XP, search in corner, etc.
Cons: Some odd page renderings, preformance on CNET seems slow, almost seems worse than Beta2
One minor note to start with it that the useful list to go back seems to be missing, till you notice that you have to use the button to the right of the foward button to go back more than one page (kind of annoying). Another problem seems like some input boxes and such appear excessively small, and some pages on select websites looked fine in IE6/FF1.5/FF2.0/Opera but don't look right in IE 7 Final.
Still, Microsoft did a good job on the browser and I may just be having a bad experience on my own computer.
User Rating: 8/10
Doesn't display some websites correctly.
Pros: Tab browsing, rss reader is excelent, search box.
Cons: can't display music.download.com correctly. eats 65mb of ram in 1 tab.
