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ChannelWeb ( www.cm.com ) reports that the release of IE8 is "underwhelming".

   "Microsoft Internet Explorer users aren`t exactly rushing to embrace IE 8, the new release of the Web browser that debuted Thursday.

As of 1 p.m. EDT Friday, usage of IE 8 accounted for only 1.56 percent of global Internet traffic, according to StatCounter Global Stats. That`s up only slightly from 1.39 percent on Thursday.

"I suppose the kindest description of user reaction to IE 8`s first public outing would be `underwhelming,`" said Aodhan Cullen, StatCounter founder and CEO, in a statement.

StatCounter is a Web site traffic-monitoring service vendor. It analyzes Internet usage trends based on some 4 billion Internet pageloads per month.

Cullen contrasted IE 8`s debut performance to adoption of the Firefox 3 Web browser when it was released last June. Usage of Firefox 3, which accounted for 7.8 percent of Web usage during its beta testing, more than doubled to 18.9 percent during a three-day period after its formal release.

IE 8 has received mixed reviews from testers and early users. There have been published reports that the browser has caused system crashes and some Web sites don`t display properly using the software. The browser also has compatibility issues with Web standards, such as CSS, HTML4 and XHTML when tested with The Web Standards Project`s Acid Test 3.

Microsoft is counting on IE 8 to help reverse erosion of its share of the Web browser market. Microsoft IE has been losing ground to competitors, such as Apple`s Safari, Google`s Chrome and the open-source Firefox from Mozilla."

I think it`s safe to say there`s no need to start redesigning sites just to make IE8 happy. I know the beta version I had used ( and quickly quit using ) wasn`t doing very many websites any favors.



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M Hall
Website Critique Community
International Society of Curmudgeons

another "successful" Microsoft product launch - when will people learn that they cannot produce anything of quality - they have to buy it or copy it from someone else. And all of their customers just accept product failure is just part of the process; until they buy a mac.

I have not tried it yet... and am going to wait a while before I do.

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I prefer Fire Fox.  Been using Fire Fox for over a year without the problems IE had.

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The older we get, the more excuses we make for not chasing after our dreams. But truth is, goals are attainable at any age.

I think Microsoft`s historic policy of releasing poorly crafted, bug-ridden products just to be ahead of the market is catching up with them. People are tired of over-promising, under-delivering.

IE7 had so many incompatibilities, and Vista failed to deliver so much, that people just blew it off. With FireFox, Chrome, and Safari, and with Linux and Mac OS, there`s competition. Microsoft apparently hasn`t figured out how to compete in today`s computer environment.

Plus, I think Microsoft`s very heavy emphasis on the enterprise environment, rather than the personal user and small business systems has hurt. With corporations under assault, and hundreds of thousands of dollars involved in any kind of upgrade, who wants the expense?

If there`s one thing Microsoft hasn`t had to learn to deal with in much of its history, it`s a fair fight. Microsoft is still the proverbial 500lb gorilla, used to getting its way simply by strong-arming the competition and throwing its weight around. Now the other gorillas are bigger and tougher than anything Microsoft has had to face thus far, and I think Microsoft has gone sluggish in its old age. There`s a whole different mindset for an organization striving to be the best, vs an organization just trying to stay on top. The former stay sharp and adaptable, and the latter eventually grow sluggish and complacent. With any luck, the computer/internet market will become a lot more competitive.

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Making limitless possibilities much more limited.

Regardless what *we* use, IE8 is integral to Windows 7.  When "7" is released to the OEM`s later this year, our sites had better be ready for it.

I am using a beta version of "7" and so far, it`s running fine.  Better than Vista on the same computer.  I haven`t seen any problem sites in IE8 yet.



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Steve Mann
Internet Videographer
MannMade Digital Video
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