Microsoft IE9 RC

Figuring I'd give it a whirl, I installed Internet Explorer 9 RC (Release Candidate) on my main system. As with IE8, I'm fairly certain that I will not be using it. Several things already irritate me.

To begin with, I had to go through a lot of hoopla to install it. It's nothing like Firefox, which installs very easily and plays nice with everyone else. First I had to download the preemptive IE9 file that must be run to get the actual download. After waiting forever, I got a message that I had to close just about everything on my computer to continue the installation, to include:

ThreatFire
WinPatrol
Disk Defrag (really?)
MS Security Essentials (huh?)
Windows Desktop Gadgets (really?)
My bathroom door (okay, I made that up)

There were two or three others services that had to be shut off, but I forgot what they were.

Once I got through that nut roll, I had to restart the computer and watch the "Windows is installing crap while other crap is configured and reinstalled; don't touch anything or you will die and your computer will revert to Windows 3.0." Or words to that effect.

Once the long winded installation was complete, I started up IE 9 to find that it's nothing more than a different same-ol'-crap Internet Explorer, only worse and in a new, pretty package.

To begin with, somebody at Microsoft came up with the super-brilliant idea of putting the tabs on the same line as the address bar, with no option for anything else. To make things worse they put an "x" on the last tab to close it out. Because the tab is on the same line as the address bar, it kind of looks like you're just closing out another tab in a series. Actually, I suppose you are. But when you close out the last tab, the program automatically closes too. Duh. It already got me 4 or 5 times, as I'm a slow learner. Of course, there is no setting that I can find to override this stupid behavior.

Like its predecessor, some links will open a new window instead of a new tab. Of course, no setting is available to change this stupid behavior either. So, it's easy to end up with a bunch of needless, extra IE windows.

Unlike Firefox, which allows users to customize the tar out of their browser, Microsoft gave us the same tired, old, "We know what's best for you and we will tell you what you like" garbage.

Scuzzy; I'm betting most people at Microsoft use Firefox on their computers.

Gee that sounds wonderful!!

Bill; still with Chrome.

IE9 has another flaw that carries on from previous makings. For example:

I like to use the "form auto complete" feature. So when I tried to log into Poasters using IE9 for the first time, I clicked inside the blank username field and got a drop down box with 3 choices presented. One was an employee number such as "123456", one was "admin", and the other was "scuzzy". The choices carried over from whenever I last used IE8, which was fine.

I clicked "scuzzy" and quickly moved moved the mouse pointer trying to get to the password field. The problem is that IE still does not immediately recognize what the user clicks on. So as I moved the mouse pointer with an upward sweeping motion after making my selection, IE9 selected "123456" due to the pause. I had to go back to clear the field and do it over, holding the pointer over "scuzzy" for about a second so that IE could figure out what I wanted.

Firefox immediately recognizes the info I click on and has never caused me that problem. Unfortunately I constantly have to deal with that irritation at work, as Internet Explorer is the only browser used by my employer. The problem is magnified on older, slower computers.

Oh, and IE9 *still* has no spell checker out of the box.

I forgot to mention in my last poast that I ran into a problem immediately after installing IE9. I opened my homepage (www.FOXNews.com) and saw a link to an article about the new iPad. I clicked the link and IE9 opened a new window instead of a new tab (previously mentioned problem). After reading the article, I clicked an iPad ad that was on the same page. Of course, IE9 thought it wise to open a 3rd window. But the page would absolutely not display properly. I finally went back to Firefox so that I could see the site properly displayed.

Here's the troublesome site: www.apple.com/ipad/

JA, I'm glad IE9 works for you. One of my sons is also a die hard Internet Explorer fan. I'm just tired of Microsoft's "our way or the highway" attitude. So, when I have the option I choose the highway.

Scuzzy; sometimes the grass is greener on the other side.

Okay, I'm at a total loss. While I wasn't looking somebody adjusted IE9 so that the tab bar is now on its own line; no longer shared with the address bar. The address bar now stretches completely across the browser.

What happened? Not that I'm complaining, but I did nothing to update or modify IE9 since I last poked at it.

Scuzzy; as always, in the dark.


 
Click for the full image:
 

Well, the egg's on my face as I previously stated there was no option for that. I now see that there is.

Scuzzy; still stickin' with Mozilla.

Now I really regret installing IE9.

Part of what I don't like about any version of Internet Explorer is that Microsoft deliberately (as in "on purpose") integrates IE into the operating system. Of course, this increases the chances of unintended consequences when IE is updated, or when running a beta product.

Since installing IE9, some of my desktop gadgets no longer work properly. For example, the background for a couple of my gadgets are no longer transparent. The background for those gadgets were replaced by a white block. I also use the WeatherBug gadget, and the drop down arrow to change the gadget size is no longer functional. WeatherBug's support sarcastically says they will not resolve the problem until the final version of IE9 is out "just in case Microsoft wants to break anything else at the last minute."

If you have not installed IE9 on your computer, don't bother. It's just the same old garbage from Microsoft.

Mine seems to be permanent. Updating the video driver made no difference. Neither did reinstalling the gadgets.

As a secondary problem, IE9 is causing intermittent issues with Aero. Sometimes Aero will not work until two or three minutes after it comes out of a sleep cycle.

It's upsetting, regardless. I would not tolerate the same behavior if I installed a new version of Firefox, Safari, or Chrome. If another browser caused me those problems, I would quickly delete the offending program. Not so with IE9, since it's now an integrated part of the operating system. There is no "undelete" function available.

Scuzzy; learn from my mistake. Keep this garbage off of your system.

I'll look at my options when I get a chance.

I wasn't in a big hurry to try it and now I'll wait even longer.

I got rid of IE9 by finding it and then removing it in the Windows installed updates list. My computer is behaving once again.

I'll leave IE8 permanently installed and rely on Firefox from hereon. I'll try IE9 with Windows 8, or whatever we're gonna call the next disaster. They should name Windows in the same manner they name hurricanes, such as "Windows Katrina", but not "Windows Ace" or "Windows Scuzzy". "Windows Pat" might be okay.

Scuzzy; for my next trick I'm gonna install Google Chrome.