So, about that IE9 screenshot

If you haven't seen it yet: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/is-this-microsofts-new-internet-explorer-9-interface/7213 

Assuming it's not a fake or a mockup that doesn't reflect the real UI, what do you all think?

I like the simplifying of the "chrome" (pun intended), though I hope the links bar and one click access to the feeds list is still in there somewhere (IE8 is my RSS feed reader). I like the combination search/address bar, but it doesn't seem like putting tabs next to it will leave enough room for more than a few tabs.

I wasn't too jazzed about the clipped back button. At first I thought it might be a sign of a bad Photoshop job. Or maybe it was like text in the Metro UI style (though what would it signify?). But the more I look at the screenshot the more I think that it, along with the white edge along the top of the page really makes the content pop out against the glass background, so maybe that is the intent.

I like the overall look of it. The border between the chrome and the content is the opposite of the current inset 3d look, and it looks nice.

I need the RSS button, presumably you can customize the buttons that are over on the right?

It definitely needs more room for tabs, hopefully you can move the tab bar.

Does it still have the ability to drop down the recent history like IE8 does with the dropdown button next to the back/forward buttons? Maybe it's a context menu.

Simple, clean, I like it.  This new UI shift is a good one.

intelman said:

Simple, clean, I like it.  This new UI shift is a good one.

i didnt hate it...

looks like ms take on chrome...

didnt see anything to lead me to belive i could break it into pieces - or configure the COOL BARS how i want...

its already an also ran ... but ... a fairly pretty version of one

edit:  you know how ...APPLE...  does stuff like ... "what is a phone anway? it should be a computer!"  stuff?

why cant ms - go - what is a browser anyay... your main app?  shouldnt there be a way to unlock and rebuild it - to your personal taste?  YES... this is old news - ive gone on about it for 5 years (6?)

I just dont get why ms wont PUT BACK all the cool stuff they removed - and put the user in charge. 

This new IE might look good to you - because it is NEW....  but really its just a re-tread...   

Signed the guy who has always loved the OLD - real OLD ..ie team

SLIVKA RULES - COOL BARS... TOTAL CUSTOMIZATION ...   

we need more "communist!" at ms...

ps: themes? REAL ones...

- FTP - proper!!!!

- choice of 100 back/forwared styles buttons

- Media theatre mode

- file integration back (no ie - just E EXPLORER )

bla bla sigh

jamie said:

intelman said:

*snip*

i didnt hate it...

 

looks like ms take on chrome...

 

didnt see anything to lead me to belive i could break it into pieces - or configure the COOL BARS how i want...

 

its already an also ran ... but ... a fairly pretty version of one

 

 

edit:  you know how ...APPLE...  does stuff like ... "what is a phone anway? it should be a computer!"  stuff?

 

why cant ms - go - what is a browser anyay... your main app?  shouldnt there be a way to unlock and rebuild it - to your personal taste?  YES... this is old news - ive gone on about it for 5 years (6?)

 

I just dont get why ms wont PUT BACK all the cool stuff they removed - and put the user in charge. 

 

This new IE might look good to you - because it is NEW....  but really its just a re-tread...   

 

Signed the guy who has always loved the OLD - real OLD ..ie team

 

SLIVKA RULES - COOL BARS... TOTAL CUSTOMIZATION ...   

 

we need more "communist!" at ms...

 

 

ps: themes? REAL ones...

- FTP - proper!!!!

- choice of 100 back/forwared styles buttons

- Media theatre mode

- file integration back (no ie - just E EXPLORER )

 

bla bla sigh

re; looks like ms take on chrome...

these days... do you REALLY EXPECT MUCH ELSE

edit:  "WE ARE "THE MONKEYS" OF SOFTWARE!"   .. used to be the beatles....

* ironic monkey boy rep noted

Hmm. Not enough room for tabs. Favourites button appears to be on the right rather than the left, that would take a lot of getting used to.

copying... and money making...

boy - that's what i want to grow up to be!

*get gates back NOW

ps - he did alot MORE than copy....  money came with it

Not enough tab spaces, and I think they should utilize the header bar since it is fairly empty. Although those Areo snap need dragable header bar, so, not sure how it can be done.

jamie said:

Looks good. Maybe I switch back from Chrome.

jamie said:

jamie said:

*snip*

To me it looks pretty much the same as IE8, just with a translucent toolbar docking region and what appears to be repositionable tool/tab/menu bars.

elmer said:

jamie said:

*snip*

To me it looks pretty much the same as IE8, just with a translucent toolbar docking region and what appears to be repositionable tool/tab/menu bars.

According to MS, IE9 now snoops on your privacy now that it copied Chrome's search/address bar

Still no titles in the title bar, eh?  Not like something as prominent as the TITLE tag has any importance nor relevance...

... Other than that, sweet UI.  Welcome back, IE6, I missed you!

SlackmasterK said:

Still no titles in the title bar, eh?  Not like something as prominent as the TITLE tag has any importance nor relevance...

 

... Other than that, sweet UI.  Welcome back, IE6, I missed you!

 

Well, it is redundant with the title in the tab so I imagine that would be a rationale. And with the enlarged Longhorn-esque back button, the empty space doesn't look as funny as in a Windows Explorer window.

I'm assuming there's going to be an extra row once you have more than one tab open. If that's the case: I already have this UI with IE8, and before it with IE7, so either I'm missing something or I don't really see what the big deal is.

Edit: oh wait, what I thought was the bing search box is actually a bing tab. Huh. Looks like too little room for tabs if you ask me. Also the combined search/address bar has been in IE since, what, IE6?

Bas said:

I'm assuming there's going to be an extra row once you have more than one tab open. If that's the case: I already have this UI with IE8, and before it with IE7, so either I'm missing something or I don't really see what the big deal is.

 

Edit: oh wait, what I thought was the bing search box is actually a bing tab. Huh. Looks like too little room for tabs if you ask me. Also the combined search/address bar has been in IE since, what, IE6?

Well dang, I can't find a good screenshot and I don't have any IE6 installs lying around... 

I seem to recall shoving the address bar next to the menu bar. Both were skinny. Other than the  title bar, that was it.  Of course, it's less of an issue with modern high-res LCDs, but I've always configured my browsers, explorer windows, etc. to provide the highest ratio of content area to nonsense.  For example, I don't need navigation buttons because I never use them; I just use alt-left and alt-right.  I certainly don't need the Favorites button as it's a quick Alt-A away, and I really don't need the tab bar with one tab open.   Less of an issue thes days, but I do miss the IE6 UI.

FWIW, I also really like the look of Chrome; but I really don't like the direction applications are going in general. Bring back the days of keyboard-friendly menu bars where it was obvious which key to press to get somewhere and I didn't have to wade through completely reconfigured options. 

It seems every time Microsoft has a major release, they make things harder to find in some misguided attempt to make things easier to find. Control Panel, I'm looking at you.

And don't even get me started on the modern Explorer.  I never, ever use the left pane, and there seems to be no way to get rid of it, no matter how small I make the window... A folder with one file easiliy takes up 10 times the space it needs... But I digress.  You get my point.

SlackmasterK said:

Bas said:

*snip*

Well dang, I can't find a good screenshot and I don't have any IE6 installs lying around... 

 

I seem to recall shoving the address bar next to the menu bar. Both were skinny. Other than the  title bar, that was it.  Of course, it's less of an issue with modern high-res LCDs, but I've always configured my browsers, explorer windows, etc. to provide the highest ratio of content area to nonsense.  For example, I don't need navigation buttons because I never use them; I just use alt-left and alt-right.  I certainly don't need the Favorites button as it's a quick Alt-A away, and I really don't need the tab bar with one tab open.   Less of an issue thes days, but I do miss the IE6 UI.

 

FWIW, I also really like the look of Chrome; but I really don't like the direction applications are going in general. Bring back the days of keyboard-friendly menu bars where it was obvious which key to press to get somewhere and I didn't have to wade through completely reconfigured options. 

 

It seems every time Microsoft has a major release, they make things harder to find in some misguided attempt to make things easier to find. Control Panel, I'm looking at you.

 

And don't even get me started on the modern Explorer.  I never, ever use the left pane, and there seems to be no way to get rid of it, no matter how small I make the window... A folder with one file easiliy takes up 10 times the space it needs... But I digress.  You get my point.

I don't know, I think the control panel has only gotten better since I can simply ignore the categories and just type the name of whatever option I need in the search box.

As for IE, I have it set up so that there's a bar with the navigation buttons (I occasionally use the list of previous pages if there's some stupid page that prevents me from using the back button), the address bar and the search box (which I don't really need since you can use the address bar for it, but whatever, it doesn't take up space I need for the address bar or anything) and a bar below it with the favorites button, tabs, and buttons (icons only) for start pages, RSS, printing, page options and regular options. It's pretty minimal, I don't get what the usual complaint with IE being cluttered is. Sure, the favorites bar is huge and unnecessary, but you can just disable that.