internet explorer Archive

Internet Explorer on Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 software update is due to roll out today, and among the many new features brings an Internet Explorer app, letting you browse the web on your TV (if you’re an Xbox Live Gold member). I was part of the Beta test programme and have been using Xbox IE for a few months, so here follow some of my thoughts, in a kind of review. Apologies in advance for the crappy photos.

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On Internet Explorer and Microsoft

I’m not a blind Microsoft-basher, neither am I an MS fanboy (in fact, I think the whole idea of aligning yourself with any single technology or brand is pretty narrow-minded). I think MS do some things well, and some things poorly. I am going to have a bit of a pop at them at the end of this article, but I’m going to start by defending them.

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HTML5 block-level link bug in IE7+

HTML5 allows the use of block elements inside the a tag, which was not permitted in HTML4. This means that you can wrap a link around whole sections of markup, making all of the child elements of the a become the link. You use it like so:

<a href="http://example.com">
  <div>
    <h3>I'm an example</h3>
  </div>
</a>

You can begin to use this straight away, as every browser supports it – although you must be wary of one rather glaring bug in Internet Explorer.

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Internet Explorer 8 has been released

Microsoft announced the launch of Internet Explorer 8 yesterday; I urge everyone to download it as soon as possible, and to encourage their friends to do likewise – especially if their friends are using IE6. It’s great that we have another standards-compliant browser on the market, and I hope that adoption is swift.

What I would really like to see from Microsoft now is a series of iterative releases introducing new standards; rather than waiting three years for IE9, I would much rather wait one year for IE8.1. General manager, Dean Hachamovitch, has stated that there is a commitment on their side as long as test suites exist, so I call on all browser makers and standards bodies to work together to achieve that.


IE8 RC1 is available

The Internet Explorer team have announced the (first?) release candidate of IE8 (download it here). I used it briefly last night and it seems perfectly stable; I doubt it will change much (if at all) before the final version.

If you know anyone who uses IE as their primary browser, encourage them to update as soon as possible; we need to get everyone onto standards-compliant browsers so we can stop wasting time pandering to IE6.


Microsoft ‘may consider’ Webkit in IE

Steve Ballmer has said that Microsoft “may look at” using Webkit in future versions of Internet Explorer (contradicting Chris Wilson’s statement last year that they wouldn’t). I really can’t see it; at least, not in the near future. Perhaps for Windows Mobile, as Webkit is proving itself in the mobile space, but almost certainly not on the desktop.


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Aside

I’ve updated my Speaking page to include more conferences, more videos, and a little on my speaking requirements and preferences. I’m planning to cut down on the number of talks I give in 2014 (twelve is too many), but am always open to interesting offers and opportunities, so please get in touch if you’re organising an event.

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