Internet! Explorer! 8! to! be! named! Internet! Explorer! 8!

In homage to The Register, I had to let the title of this blog post illustrate the best of The Register, because its post on the new name for Microsoft's Internet Explorer was surprisingly devoid of the biting sarcasm that epitomizes its work. This was a "story" begging for sarcasm.

What story? Exactly. Bill Gates let it slip that Microsoft will be following up IE7 with (gasp!) IE8. Wow. Microsoft may not be creative with its technology, but its marketing is sha-ZAAM!

That's it. Move along. It will probably also let people browse web pages. You heard it here first.

[benopolis]

Coming from a guy who just admitted he'd love to know how to code but can't, your opinion of whether Microsoft is "creative with its technology" is very nearly worthless; I doubt you know, let alone understand, 90% of what they're doing these days.

[hunsaker]

I wonder if they will somehow force people to use Vista in order to get the "full power" of IE 8? They need to come up with something because no one is moving to Vista voluntarily!

[Matt Asay]

@benopolis: I'd take that as an insult if I understood it. I not so bright. :-)

I don't think it matters very much if I'm able to grok Microsoft's technology at a technical level. Who cares if it's Really! Very! Cool! if it makes no difference to me as a user? I could care less about sophisticated R&D if it doesn't translate into useful technology.

So if I don't understand 90% of what they're doing, I'm guessing 90% of what they're doing is "very nearly worthless." You can criticize me for not being technically adept, but I buy a lot of software and hardware. I think Microsoft cares a great deal about my opinion and that of those who buy their products. Maybe one day I'll also understand its inner workings. I shudder with excitement at the prospect. In the meantime, I'll keep buying what works.

[benopolis]

Insult? No; all I did was call you on your ignorance.

As to your reply: I think you mean you "couldn't care less", but you should at least recognize that you don't represent all users, Matt, and also that Microsoft's technology innovations are not confined to its consumer operating systems, Internet Explorer and its Office suite.

Moreover, I'm astonished that a supposed technology blogger would suggest that because he doesn't understand a technology, that technology must be worthless. I've been a software developer for two decades, and I admit there's plenty of widely-used tech that I don't understand; given that I am almost certainly more technically inclined than you, you'll forgive me for thinking you blindingly arrogant for saying so. I'm sure your open-source buddies would agree.

Finally, make up your mind: either you really wish you could code, or you're bored by the idea ("shudder with excitement").

[Matt Asay]

I'm bored by the idea...except on the days that I'd like to code my own startup idea...then I'm depressed. I'm inconsistent. Sorry.

[benopolis]

A non-response. I guess you're bored by anything other than your own opinion.

Typical blogger.

[epscoe]

For goodness' sake, give the guy a break. Given Microsoft's track record, you don't really need any deep tech knowledge to not expect much out of them.

[royrusso]

Being one of the best coders to ever grace this wonderful planet, I'll chime in, and openly state that MS IE is a heaping pile of poop. The morons couldn't even copy the FF tabs right.

I do like Office 07, however.

[David Paulsen]

Funny thread about this thread at DonationCoder.com:
http://www.donationcoder.com/Forums/bb/index.php?topic=11275.msg90368#msg90368