Comments on: Yahoo beats Microsoft to punch with IE update

Yahoo posts an optimized version of Internet Explorer 7 before Microsoft's own final release of the browser.

[Techno Guy]

Speaking of Punch...

CNet has an occasional habit of promoting non-stories as news, as evidenced by this article. Microsoft publicly announced its release date for IE7 some time ago. That Yahoo! posted its customized version of IE7 prior to Microsoft's formal release date isn't some kind of victory for Yahoo!, or embarrassment for Microsoft, as the article seems to imply.

Microsoft no doubt released its production build of IE7 to Yahoo! (and presumably to others, as well) days or weeks ago, then Yahoo! folded in its changes and released its version. Should that alter Microsoft's announced release date? Does that indicate superiority for Yahoo! in some respect? Not that I can see.

The only story here would be if Yahoo! had an agreement with Microsoft not to release its version of IE7 prior to Microsoft's formal release, but did so anyway. Since the article makes no mention of such an agreement, we're left to assume there was none. End of story.

[Shawn Lane]

Come on CNet

I agree Techno Guy. This story is trying to make something out of nothing. If there was no agreement between Yahoo and Microsoft then it doesn't matter. I am sure Microsoft is glad Yahoo is releasing IE7 so quickly.

[westrajc]

Yahoo Desperate For Any Advantage

With the online world consolidating under the Google banner, Yahoo needs to maximize any opportunity to be 'First-to-Market.' This poses little concern for Microsoft and actually helps them show that 3rd-parties are eager to use IE7 as the core of their Web 2.0 offerings. In other words, this is a WIN/WIN situation for both Yahoo and Microsoft.

Whether or not it's a win for users is still up in the air. I myself dislike vendor-customized browsers and have choosen to NOT install them. It will be interesting to see what the adoption rate for the customized IE7 browser is among people that use Yahoo frequently.

http://myworld.ebay.com/probizteam

[bobby_brady]

I thought only Microsoft could patch their own software

how can Yahoo issue patches?

[groink_hi]

It isn't a patch...

For years, IE has been available as a development kit. Since IE 5, you can download the kit, and basically build your very own release of IE - complete with your own throbbing icon, company name in the window bar, customized plug-ins, settings, and much more. I'm not up-n-up on the kit for IE 7, but it sounds like this is what Yahoo used.

[alinconstantin]

IE7 is available from Microsoft, too

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/default.mspx

[deerfield88]

What is the point of this article?

Anyone?

[Ryo Hazuki]

Simple.

To try and make it look like Microsoft has done something wrong again.

As simple as that.

[qwerty75]

Who cares?

It is still a sluggish POS.

With all its billions of dollars it can't even copy Firefox without making it bloated and slow.

[Ryo Hazuki]

More than 82% of the market.

Interesting comment, but yet another one that goes against every review I've read about it (even from Cnet). Has pracyically everything Firefox has and funny you mention speed, because, on my machine (P4 3.06 Ghz, 1.3 RAM, WinXp) it runs faster than Firefox and uses less RAM. Plus it works well with practically every webpage, unlike Firefox.

[imguessing]

Browser Wars

Welcome to the next round of the browser wars. Microsoft just released Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP SP2. Another day, another under -whelming product from the minds at Microsoft. I know I wonder constantly, "what the heck are they thinking?".

Internet Explorer is another reactive (as opposed to proactive) move by Microsoft brought about solely because another company is threatening part of their monopoly. Is there any doubt that IE7 was a knee jerk reaction to Mozilla's Firefox & Opera's web browsers stealing significant market share?
Because they are constantly in reactive (can you say crisis?) mode these days, the results are very predictable. Microsoft's latest reincarnation of Internet Explorer catches up to Firefox & Opera on some features, falls short on others, and in general offers nothing that the others don't. And let's not forget that Firefox 2 is scheduled for release shortly and that Firefox 3 is already under development.

Here are some random snippets on the web regarding IE7.

IE 7 is an attempt by Microsoft to catch rival browsers as it includes features that have long been seen in competitors such as Firefox and Opera.

Internet Explorer 7 is a solid upgrade, but it's disappointing that after five years, the best Microsoft could do was to mostly catch up to smaller competitors.

IE 7 was Microsoft's one chance to leapfrog ahead of the competition, but the company has only barely caught sight of the current front-runners. For more features and greater security, switch to Mozilla Firefox.

The choice is yours. You can enable Microsoft to keep dumping average software on us, or you can vote with your hard earned mind share. Let me know what you think.


I'm Guessing ©2006
imguessingblog.blogspot.com

[chrismgtis]

Sure There Is

IE7 is not an attempt to "catch" rival browsers. MS was concentrating on other endeavours and users had other options so they had no room to complain about the current state of IE6. Sure MS should have kept up with it, but when you people are constantly pushing out millions of spam emails a day, not counting your annoying forwards to friends, writing virii, adaware and spyware - Microsoft has plenty up their sleeve to worry about patching in Windows. In so many ways you have yourselves to blame for the security problems we all face and moreso for your unacceptable understanding of what not to do online. Common sense is your best defense before any security protection. Security protection, even in a browser is useless if your stupid. I wouldn't be suprised if Microsoft realizes this too and is thinking "What is the point of fixing our browser when the users are too stupid to use the features in it?".

You are all lead to believe that Microsoft has an obligation to you which they don't. You purchased an operating system in it's current state. You should be thankful that Microsoft issues updates to fix problems at all, and when no alternative is doing a better job, what other choice do you have? That is exactly the reason everyone is complaining. There are no better choices, therefore we constantly moan about the current one and look at every opportunity to file a lawsuit because we become so bored and full of ourselves.

[djysrv1]

Yahoo BETA email does not support IE7

I think it is funny that while Yahoo rushed to publish a branded version of the IE7 web browser, its own BETA email service does not support Microsoft's newest offering. When I tried to use Yahoo's BETA email service today (11/20/06) I got an error message that said IE7 was not a supported browser. Yahoo then returned me to the old version of its free email service.

[PCCRomeo]

Yahoo Beta mail doesn't support anything!

...But then again I don't know why anyone would use Yahoo
anyway.

[gernblan]

Just what I always wanted!

More spyware to add to my spyware!

[mgss0lidsnak3]

Microsoft playing damage control

So, lets see here... Yahoo! embarrases Microsoft by releasing a better version of the IE7 browser and Microsoft plays damage control by saying how it allows companies to customize IE7.

It's still kind of a dual embarassment considering that for some strange reason, Yahoo! Mail Beta does not seem to be agreeing with IE7 and it also seems to be a bit lacking in total CSS support (applies to both Microsoft version and Yahoo! version), which might make life difficicult for some Web Designers and Webmasters.

I'll stick with Firefox.

[aeons1296000]

A tale of the clone IE7 browsers

I tried both Yahoo!'s IE7 and the microsofts release IE7 and discovered some interesting issues. First, after downloading Yahoo!'s IE7 version of the browser (which requires a restart of my computer), I noticed that the browser reported it was an IE6 version and not IE7. Also, when I signed in to my Yahoo! Beta e-mail account I had no problem with it running through the browser. However, when I tried a link from from Microsoft Music Service that was sent to my mail box the Microsoft Music Service would not let me sign in to my account.
Hours later I desided to download and install the IE7 browser microsoft was offering and had no problems either with Yahoo! Mail Beta nor with Microsoft Music Service.