Microsoft decides IE7 plus is a minus

Stan Beer
Monday, 07 August 2006 18:44

Opinion and Analysis

It wasn't going to be much of a change. However, in this new era where Microsoft is actually trying to listen to what users want, the world's largest software company has decided that its new browser Internet Explorer 7 does not need a distinguishing plus sign after all.

For some reason, known only to those in charge within the hallowed halls of Redmond, Microsoft felt a need to further confuse its customers. The world's 90% of desktop users had barely adjusted to the concept of receiving by download a brand new web browser that had many of the same features of more advanced browsers from Mozilla and Opera, when Microsoft decided to throw a spanner in the works.

Instead of just one new browser called Internet Explorer 7 (IE7), Microsoft was going to release another even more advanced browser specifically for the upcoming Windows Vista platform, called Internet Explorer 7+. This new super duper plus version of IE7 will have security features not available to the ordinary IE7 because it takes advantage of the inherent security features of Vista such as privilege levels.

Needless to say, user feedback was less than positive, so Microsoft has reverted to naming all of its new browser versions IE7, regardless of the operating system version.

Pardon us for alluding to the obvious, but haven't we missed the point somewhat here? What Microsoft is saying is that IE7 for Vista is more secure than IE7 for Windows XP because it is inextricably entwined with the intricacies of the new operating system.

The question is: does this not defeat the purpose of internet browsers, which (except for Internet Explorer) are supposed to be operating system independent. The current versions of both Firefox and Opera are far more advanced and secure than Internet Explorer 6 and at least as advanced as IE7. And, unlike the Microsoft browser, Firefox runs across multiple platforms.

This latest ploy by Microsoft, which attempts to make the security level of IE7 dependent on the operating system, is a throwback to the era when Microsoft tried (successfully) to hold back the development of the internet in order to keep the desktop as the prime focus. Unfortunately for Microsoft, what worked once will not work again.

Firefox is too well entrenched and is gaining market share by the day. Its security advantages have been well established and its speed, usuability and platform agnostic capabilities give it an edge that will be hard to counter from a browser that is tied to an operating system.