Internet Explorer: 8 Times Is a Charm
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News Commentary. Thanks to Microsoft, I feel 10 years younger. Could this be 1998? It sure feels that way. |
Microsoft is innovating around the Web browser again. I haven't witnessed this kind of focus, execution or communication since 1996-1998, when Microsoft waged the browser war against Netscape. And won.
But there is something different from my 1998 feeling, and that's a good thing. A decade ago, Microsoft tussled with the U.S. government over Internet Explorer being bundled into Windows 98. A nasty Microsoft didn't play so nice with third parties and tried to dominate the browser market for competitive gain. In 2008, there's a surprising—as in really shocking—and different approach.
Microsoft is trying to better engage partners and put some emphasis on customer interests ahead of competitive gain. For example, in IE 8, drop-down icons in the search box let users choose any provider, even Google. Of course, looked at another way, there's a benefit to Microsoft, too. Even if the user chooses, say, Google, other providers would be one easy click away. Firefox has a similar icon menu, but it's not exposed for every search like with IE 8.
There's renewed developer energy around Internet Explorer. The Acid test that IE 8 needs to pass is about more than browser standards. There are real acidic customers, developers and content partners out there. Firefox is beloved, while IE is scorned among technophiles. Microsoft will have to work hard to build positive mind share, and it may never be successful. The company let Internet Explorer languish for too long.
The IE 8 team is showing that Microsoft managers can execute good judgment and even demonstrate marketing prowess; in this case through blogging and Webcasts. In 2007, I blew off Microsoft's so-called efforts to be more transparent, but maybe there are some—perhaps a whole lot—around IE 8.
It was just a few weeks ago that I praised the IE team's transparency. I need to do so again, because there is a model here for other Microsoft product teams to follow. Dean Hachamovitch, Internet Explorer general manager, and his team have engaged and educated customers through IEBlog, rather than spewing out marketing gobbledispeak. Today, Microsoft conducted a series of Webcasts about the new Web browser.
What's being done right:
- Storytelling—Effective marketing is about telling a good story. Particularly in blogs, Microsoft hasn't just touted new features but explained how they work and, more importantly, why they work the way they do.
- Broad Communication—There's a quality about the amount and depth of the communication that feels much better than for Internet Explorer 7's testing and launch period. Perhaps it was defensive then, with Firefox snatching share from IE. But quality differences also reflect the changes taking place at Microsoft. They've been a long time coming, even though they seem immediate. To some critics no changes may be obvious, yet.
- Platform Engagement—Tools like Accelerator and Web Slices are baby steps back toward re-establishing Internet Explorer as a browser platform. It's a good start, but the finish has to be mobile browsing. That's a story the IE team needs to tell developers. Soon.
Today, Microsoft released IE 8 Beta 2 in 21 more languages, bringing the total to 25. Expansion makes sense. In my testing, the browser is surprisingly stable.
There's a saying that three times is a charm. Also, Microsoft has a reputation for getting products right on the third release. For Internet Explorer, it's eight that may be great.
[Please send your tips or rumors to watchtips at live.com]
Related Posts:
- IE 8 and Chrome Bloatware Wars, Microsoft Watch, Sept. 5, 2008
- IE 8: The Rough Cut, Microsoft Watch, Aug. 27, 2008
- Do You Care About IE 8?, Microsoft Watch, Aug. 26, 2008
- IE 8 and the New Browser War, Microsoft Watch, Dec. 20, 2007
Comments (15)
Will be interesting to see if they can keep up. Seems like Chrome/Opera/Firefox/Safari are innovating at a frantic pace. IE 8 although faster than IE 7, is now way slower than Firefox, Safari or Chrome. I'm running Chrome, Firefox and IE8. Chrome is my default browser and right now my favorite out of the bunch. Firefox displays the most sites correctly. Chrome is second, but runs into problems with sites that use things like webex. I gave up on IE8 because it incorrectly rendered just too many sites. I imagine the next beta will be better, or more sites will adapt to whatever its doing (maybe just a matter of removing IE exceptions).
Posted by smist08 | September 16, 2008 7:50 PM
Call me paranoid, but did your column about going back to Vista, disappear? I saw it this morning and now I can't find it.
Posted by Philip | September 16, 2008 8:17 PM
vista post was yesterday
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/vista/its_great_to_be_backi_think.html?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535
Posted by gary | September 16, 2008 9:12 PM
"I haven't witnessed this kind of focus, execution or communication since 1996-1998, when Microsoft waged the browser war against Netscape."
That was the "Dear Suppliers, we'll **** you if you pre-install Netscape" browser wars "win," right?
A few more like that and they won't be able to lose billions on the XBox for more than another decade or so.
Posted by Ken Houghton | September 16, 2008 9:31 PM
Interesting thoughts, Joe.
Given that Microsoft doesn't seem to place standards-mode as the default, it's clear they will do the absolute minimum to get people to think they're "innovating" and "playing nice."
Opera has been leading on this, because they're a minority browser, but also because it's the right thing to do; and they innovate like crazy.
Chrome is 90% Opera v9.5, by a different name (except no Opera Link that syncs bookmarks and personal bar and search engines between Windows, Mac, and Linux). It's not even funny.
Opera's adherence to an open-web strategy for developers (along with Safari and Chrome) will finally knock down IE market share below 50%, where it belongs, I think.
Check out the Opera v9.6 beta build. Don't be fooled, Joe!
Posted by KT | September 16, 2008 10:50 PM
I am grateful for IE8, even in beta. Using anything Flash-related in FF seems to get harder all the time: I find myself using the "open link in IE" add-on several times a day now.
Ken: It's a pity that the suppliers have the attitude of "Dear Customer - we are so relieved that we have the right to pre-install anything on the desktop, that we're going to flood your hard-drive, desktop and menus with crapware that we've written or licensed, most of which you will never use, will slow down your system, and call home every time you draw breath."
I'm not saying that Microsoft was right, but it seems that now the OEMs have hung MS out to dry, all of them (and pre-eminently Apple) are shamelessly engaging in even more hostile behavior.
Posted by Mike | September 16, 2008 10:55 PM
@KT
Microsoft had made standards mode default.
It is only for intranet sites that the compatibility mode is the default setting. And it makes sense. Intranet sites would only be used in the enterprises for their personal apps and portals. If they do make the switch to standards compliant site, the IT Admin can make the switch in IE to use standards mode via GP.
For the average user, who is only concerned with the internet websites, standards is the default.
Posted by Alsiladka | September 17, 2008 2:40 AM
IE8 is the only major browser that in the search box pops up the list of search engines to let the user change it on the fly in a single click while typing the query.
MS is known to make the user's life a living hell when it comes to move to something that is not MS-centric, but this time is way ahead of everyone else.
Just take Safari or Chrome: switching search engine is so '90-ish ;-)
Posted by EnricoG | September 17, 2008 5:33 AM
Speaking as a web developer, I am not confident that this is a new standards friendly Microsoft. IE6 ALSO supported standard HTML, but ActiveX was added and non-compliant 'standard' features were not implemented properly.
I really do not see anything different here. IE8 will still need to be tested separately because of their inability to follow the same standard as everyone else. New developers will still be pushed into using the non-standard features and Silverlight (it's the new ActiveX).
There are still some MAJOR sticking points where MS just ignore the developer community. Things like SVG, Canvas, embedded fonts and the new video and audio elements not to mention WF2 all compete with Silverlight so they are just ignoring them. Lots of time is being wasted retro-fitting these features by non-MS developers.
View any of the comments on the IE blog, half are from frustrated developers trying to find out WHEN a standard feature from 2001 is going to finally be implemented. MS always ignores these questions because they are now open and working with developers.
Microsoft may be communicating but I can assure you that it is not a 2-way conversation.
P.S. Joe - AFAIR MS was forced (by the EU) to allow other search providers as the default, it is nothing to do with openness.
Posted by billybob | September 17, 2008 7:42 AM
@KT
Thanks for mentioning Opera. Al is stumped why that browser doesn't get more traction. IAHO, it's "better" than Firefox, though both are installed on Al's PCs. IE is buried somewhere on the system since you can't actually uninstall it.
Posted by Al | September 17, 2008 9:42 AM
@KT
Thanks for mentioning Opera. Al is stumped why that browser doesn't get more traction. IAHO, it's "better" than Firefox, though both are installed on Al's PCs. IE is buried somewhere on the system since you can't actually uninstall it.
Posted by Al | September 17, 2008 9:42 AM
For my 2 cents, I believe the IE8 team learned alot about Blogging from the Exchange 2007 team. "You had me at EHLO" has been one of the best technical blogs I've read (MS or otherwise) for years, and those guys would do well to teach everyone at Microsoft to be so transparent. I felt a lot more confident leading our company through our Exchange 2007 migration with the mountain of helpful material and perspective they handed out, and the honest and quality feedback they received. If only Vista could've been developed in the same way, things like UAC would've been axed long before the product made it out...
Posted by Nick | September 17, 2008 9:48 AM
@Alsiladka
Thanks for the clarification on IE8's "standards-mode" and its infamously-named "compatibility-mode" (or "MS-mode"). As kindly mentioned by BILLYBOB, this is an obfuscation by Microsoft and they are trying to feel their way around, about how to still monopolize web development, while trying to desperately be "more transparent."
@Al
Opera doesn't gain traction because too many people believe what they read, instead of trying it for themselves for a few days, IMHO. The furious non-mentions and outright falsehoods of Opera at various tech sites is a major problem, which seems to scare people from downloading Opera and trying it for a few days.
Aside from Opera Link/Sync, here's another Opera feature that no one has mentioned FOR YEARS, but no other "advanced" browser has copied yet: Fast-forward and Rewind. Safari has a rudimentary Rewind function called "snapback" but I'll let you guess what Fast-forward does. You can imagine how much time it saves me when reading tons of multi-page articles online with Opera for the last few years. ;)
Posted by KT | September 17, 2008 3:41 PM
As a web developer, I am not happy with IE8. It may be more 'standards compliant', but I'm also finding it is unnecessarily picky about some things. Now whenever I design some Ajax code, I have to remember to go test (and debug) for IE8.
Posted by Greg Glockner | September 17, 2008 4:16 PM
I really like IE8. The best part is that all toolbars are removable to make IE8 resemble that new google browser. Just right click, select properties, and remove away. The only thing that remains when all are removed are the address bar, the favorites star, and your tabs! How perfect. Simplicity with the power of Microsoft behind the scenes!!
Posted by J Arthur | September 22, 2008 9:21 AM