Internet Explorer version 7.0 has moved another step nearer to being released as a completed browser. Microsoft has now wrapped up its appearance / interface, which they claim will not change "significantly" from herein. We have been testing the latest beta version on our systems and websites. Mostly seem okay. However, many users will definitely dislike the switch. Not only are the interfaces different in some very significant (and some would say annoyingly frivolous) ways but many older programs that currently work in IE 6.0, for example, older versions of Adobe simply willnot work!
The current beta version can be downloaded free of charge from Microsoft and installed at your leisure. We have not experienced any significant problems with the update, though some stored passwords were lost. Also, we have not experienced problems switching back to IE6 afterwards (IE 7 will take over your browser defaults when you upgrade). However, don't take our absence of bad experiences as gospel. Microsoft can carry their own responsibility for that!
It is important that website owners do keep abreast of this development and check whether any features on their sites will fail to work under this new regime.
On its inter-galactic journey to Planet Earth, IE7 has reached the atmosphere. Whether we like it or not, it will land!
