Dolly Parton endorses IE 8 Web Slices

Here's a topic I never thought I'd write about: Dolly Parton, the famed country singer, has endorsed Internet Explorer 8 and its Web Slices feature on YouTube.

During a minute-long video, Parton says she "wouldn't know a gigabyte from a snake bite. But the folks over at Microsoft sure know their computers." She goes on to say Microsoft checked out her "new" Web site and "turned us on to a little thing they call Web Slices."

According to a Microsoft representative, the software giant showed Parton's Web team "the new features in IE 8 and Silverlight, and they liked it so much, they wanted to implement it on their site."

Parton's site now features a three-tab Web Slice that includes her video diary, news on her career, and the option to buy some of her music. The Microsoft representative said in an e-mail that the software company "wasn't involved in the production or scripting" of Parton's Internet Explorer 8 endorsement.

Web Slices, which is available only in IE 8, enables users to keep up with sites they check often, such as ones for Web mail or weather reports. According to Microsoft, "if a Web Slice is available on a page, a green Web Slices icon will appear in the Command Bar." Users can simply click on that icon to subscribe to that page's Web Slice. Once complete, that Web Slice will be displayed in the user's Favorites Bar to make it easier to keep track of those sites the user often visits.

But the very fact that Parton (a portion of whose site is now available as a Web Slice, by the way), would endorse Internet Explorer 8 is a bit surprising. As she points out in the video, she "didn't even know there [were IE versions] 1 through 7."

Regardless, Parton seems to have found her stride. After all, like the singer says, maybe Internet Explorer 8 really is "just like your own little slice of heaven."

[kaibelf]

Well, in that case, I'm dumping Firefox right now!

[davidmcelroy_dotmac]

I don't have an opinion about whether "web slices" will ever be a big deal or not, but I'd say that having Dolly Parton endorse something these days just might be one step above getting an endorsement from Slim Whitman. Or my dog.

[cbscowards]

Your dog is too smart to endorse IE. I'm not sure about Slim Whitman, though.

[Caffeinated85]

This is like a hobo giving job advice.

[orphu]

F***ing hilarious!

[bschmock]

The only time in my life that I've ever seen or listened to anything Dolly Parton was when I was young and that show Lamb Chops was on....I couldn't to this day tell you what that show was about, the thing I do remember tho is being awed by the largest breasts I had ever seen.

Oh yeah no, she totally wasn't looking at a prompt behind the camera.

[ballmerisanape]

The irony is thick in this one..

[shootfirst]

I think we all are more interested if the twins backed slices...

[4score20]

I think this is probably aimed at her fans not the general public. Btw, I love me some Dolly Parton! What a voice.

[PandaSage1221]

I think Dolly is adorable. That doesn't mean I particularly care about her opinion on technology.

That being said, I've never heard of Web Slices, so I'm now going to open up IE and head over to her site and check it out.

[kenyamchenry]

What a great plug for Microsoft...as if they really needed it!

[FF2009]

Holly mother of God, Dolly endorsing IE8. I am downloading it right now.

oh wait. I forgot i am on Ubuntu.

Maybe I should rename my Fox to IE-8 Crapyola?

That will work. Just for you Dolly. :)

[gggg sssss]

maybe you should install Windows - like most people who count for anything important

[MagiMamoru]

Holly Bloatware!

[baconstang]

When I need IT advice I always go with the largest boobs.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Millions of tech males in their darkened basements in front of the computer do.

[gggg sssss]

If my visitors are going to expect web slices because Dolly says so, then I guess I will give them to them. After all, hard to ignore 80 - 90 % of the market.

[cbscowards]

80-90% of what market? http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10388289-264.html?tag=mncol;title

IE8 had 18.1%

[gggg sssss]

@ cbscowards wvery one of those other IEs will eventuially be IE8.Nobody cares about safari, opera and other. So yes, not quite 80% Every new Windows 7 will come with IE8 tho

[cbscowards]

IE is a "slice of heaven". LMFAO. When I get my IE 666 box rebuilt , I'm gonna check me out lil ol Dolly's website and see how those boys did with supporting the beast.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Dolly Parton?

Excuse me?

Hello, Microsoft? Shouldn't you put out a statement that Dolly Parton does not represent Microsoft of its interests? Disassociate yourself with this 'endorsement'. You can't stop someone from making such an endorsement, but you can at least make it clear that it isn't your idea. At least I HOPE it isn't your idea.

[cbscowards]

Check out the last couple of seconds on the video. It looks like this was MS's idea. (But Windows 7 was Dolly's).

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

aren't web slices just webclips from microsoft.

[drchenoweth]

I absolutely love Dolly and what she stands for. In this particular case, we have proof that there just may be bigger boobs at Microsoft.

[TransplantGuy]

Don't take Dolly Parton lightly. After all, she has two of the biggest hits in Hollywood!

Oops.

[4utoo]

Actually Slim Whitman is quite a lot smarter than the two who dissed him on here!! Also go Dolly!! And laugh all the way to the bank as usual, Slim!!!