IE8 - UI info?

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+hints+at+general+plan+for+IE+8/2100-1012_3-6181334.html?tag=nefd.top

"The priorities Microsoft set for IE 7, Wilson said, are the same for IE 8: strong security, ease of use and Web development improvements."

or.. bla bla security...bla bla ..programmers ... bla bla ... better printing again ...

Q: is there any info on what is happenng with the UI? Mary Jo mentioned better customization - but that's the only place ive seen it written about...

hopefully ie will return to being the most customizable (coolbars) browser - or get the ribbon (for sorting out websites/blogs/photo accounts...

any news on this?

seriously jamie, i dont know why you think a ribbon like in office would work well in IE, though i wouldnt put down something that had a similar concept

I would be satisfied with Customizing the tool bar.  I'm dying to move the stop and refresh.

If they put in Jamies idea of saving the configuration and importing it to another box then I would be in heaven.  Nothing like wishing you had customized your home computer vs. your work one or visa versa.  I just seem to be to lazy to do it twice:)

* also Windows Live Writer - ...sort of does this with third party sites... so some of the work is done.  an editor with spell checking built right into IE (on editor tab)  [y]

jamie wrote:

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+hints+at+general+plan+for+IE+8/2100-1012_3-6181334.html?tag=nefd.top

"The priorities Microsoft set for IE 7, Wilson said, are the same for IE 8: strong security, ease of use and Web development improvements."

or.. bla bla security...bla bla ..programmers ... bla bla ... better printing again ...

Q: is there any info on what is happenng with the UI? Mary Jo mentioned better customization - but that's the only place ive seen it written about...

hopefully ie will return to being the most customizable (coolbars) browser - or get the ribbon (for sorting out websites/blogs/photo accounts...

any news on this?

I think the worst news in that article is that IE 8 would come out within 2 years of IE 7.  Is that the fast refresh times we were promised?  That's glacial speed.  Do less more often, I say!  No matter that I think the Firefox code is scary, given two years for releasing they can put out enough releases to redefine what users expect from a browser right out from underneath MS.

I'm not advocating the full OS approach to release cycles where not enough effort is put into testing, but a 1 year cycle isn't unreasonable here, and a 6-9 month cycle should be doable by limiting the feature set.

wkempf wrote:

I think the worst news in that article is that IE 8 would come out within 2 years of IE 7.  Is that the fast refresh times we were promised?  That's glacial speed.  Do less more often, I say!  No matter that I think the Firefox code is scary, given two years for releasing they can put out enough releases to redefine what users expect from a browser right out from underneath MS.

I'm not advocating the full OS approach to release cycles where not enough effort is put into testing, but a 1 year cycle isn't unreasonable here, and a 6-9 month cycle should be doable by limiting the feature set.

yeah the whole new IE release every12-18 months but more likely 2years is a friggin joke, so stupid.... if they had any sense they'd have far more regular updates and public releases, 12 months should the maximum... its the only way there gonna get it right and get better public response on what they really need to be working on to improve things.. they can keep there IE build behind closed doors and opened up to selected beta testers, give the public a release every blue moon, while most of us will just move on.. My default browser is Maxthon, and the sooner they just start using the Gecko engine the better, because I'd rather use an engine that is gonna get regular updates and is more in touch with current issues people are wanting improving.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=222

are those really the kind of survey questions they are asking there beta testers lol.. anyway 2years is a long time, maybe not much in microsoft time, shall just have to wait and see if they do much good on IE8 with all that time.

i think every 12 months if fine for a "real" release...

but beta's and alpha's??  how about EVERY WEEK - like ie 2/3/4 days 

the UI is grand, i actually like it and using IE6 or Firefox feels like writing with left hand (im right handed)

but please all we want is proper standards support, xtml + css + offline storage, i mean how hard can it be? for example every page that has a text/xhtml mime HTTP header parse with the standards engine everything else go for backwards compatibility

Ion Todirel wrote:



jamie wrote:http://www.channel9.ca/liveie/index.html * it's just IE ... default ... but when you click the tabs - you could enter your flikr account info (ie would remember) or your soapbox or your youtube info etc

very bad UI IMO, its even worse than IE7

no reason to insult jamie, i just think it doesnt make the most sense

Ion Todirel wrote:



jamie wrote: http://www.channel9.ca/liveie/index.html * it's just IE ... default ... but when you click the tabs - you could enter your flikr account info (ie would remember) or your soapbox or your youtube info etc

very bad UI IMO, its even worse than IE7

well its office's ribbon...vistas icons... ms websites.. so...

* also all the ribbons are empty - there would be discoverable web service icons there.. ie maps, live writer, passport across all ms sites...add your own

its more an internet manager (like program manager) than ie UI
with the explosion of online sites and usernames and passwords - browsers need to do more than back forward stop refresh

edit:  just as office ribbon brought tons of features to the forefront - all in colourful icons - ribbon in ie could do the same - all that Live mishmash - all organized in a ribbon..

and guess what?  you could even turn it OFF if you wanted!

i dont know about you guys but i think it would be nice if there was a way to collapse different services, whether search or live bookmarks, into a sidebar like the old search sidebar, without having to rely on the service to do this itself through AJAX or add-ons.  i think the way it was originally done in IE4? wasn't that acessible and most people probably didn't use it but i think it can be updated to be useful. for instance being able to have a del.icio.us sidebar just by setting the url in the sidebar to some del.icio.us page designed for it or some redirection of the RSS feed. possibly all of these services can be restyled because theyre all based on RSS now even search

im not talking about MS live stuff in particular just online services like bookmarks, storage, search ; that can be defaulted to MS stuff.

all of these services are now based on RSS arent they?

* actually... i bet ms wouldnt even be allowed to design the ie ui around all the Live stuff...  (que the Set Program Access and Defaults screen)


edit: added some icons (which you could remove and add your own "services"
http://www.channel9.ca/liveie/5.htm
http://www.channel9.ca/liveie/6.htm
http://www.channel9.ca/liveie/7.htm

here's another feature that might be nice.. an auto signup manager

Welcome to ie8 password manager

For sites using passport or Live sign in  this will be automatic.

For other sites - IE8 can automatically register for you.

use my live account profile info for address, age...etc
      or make custom

Please add 5 username choices - starting with your favorite ones

Global password ( over 8 characters - must contain letters and numbers)

* you may be asked to verify that "you are a human" / type the letters in this box


So if your friend on flikr - sends you some pics - and you are not subscribed/registered with them - you would hit register page - then click "register" in IE - and -just like Live Writer can interperet stealing editors and posting to online sites - ie8 could manage, store and fill out online registrations - even for sites not using passport/live

*edit.. im aware there is auto fill of forms - but ie8 would manage that data and make it savable - like your ie8 .pst file or something

edit2: actually IE8 would know you arnt registered - a dialogue box would come up - "One moment please - Registering....................... * box pops up - type the letters you see and click OK ...thankyou ... One moment please ........  ....  *waits for new email from flikr - without opening Outlook.... auto clicks the registration link for you ..... "Finished".   Opens flikr - logged in as jgrant2

bring on the bling!

jamie wrote:

here's another feature that might be nice.. an auto signup manager

Welcome to ie8 password manager

Card space.........

PerfectPhase wrote:



jamie wrote: here's another feature that might be nice.. an auto signup manager Welcome to ie8 password manager

Card space.........

above refers to sites that dont use card space / info card / windows wallet / passport / live id...

just anysite - like live writer does  ( read page:> - form one - name = try first option.... to end - monitor email - reply- done / save settings  as .pst?)

*of course - all main blogs/video/portals would be supported/built in - and hopefully there would be an easy free "Add" page for little sites/publishers


Edit: example: your digg.com...  get email from ms...

dear _digg_ from ms

ie8 will feature a new consolidation feature using card space - if you do not wish to use card space - thats fine with us. But to ensure easy access for windows users with ie8 - please use this easy form to add your sign up (using whatever technology) to win/ie8

thanks - the windows/ie8 team

* i dont know about you - but id use the form ... even if i wasnt using live id / card space.  so right there - ie 8 could rid the world of different signup forms. they could have their own solution (card space) but offer an open alternative = helps users = Windows lays the groundwork for registration forms - and sometimes - people use card space or live id or passport or whatever it is

** passport is a great brand ... just like you added hotmail back to brand stable - you should do a push " the new passport" - more secure - but more open?  it's POSSIBLE! see how



ok next up... 500 fonts for the web... weft on steroids for ie8!