IE8 RC1 Top Features & Adjustments

Hey Now Everybody,
I've wrote 7 easy steps to download & install IE8.
Here is a list of some items about IE8 that stand out.

1. Favorites Bar Toolbar
2. IE8 RC1 Memory Usage vs. IE7
3. Tabbed Grouping
4. Ad Blocker
5. Accelleraters
6. Find (Ctrl+F)
7. Mulitple Monitor Install
8. Search (Ctrl + E)
9. Webslices

After more UATing (user acceptance testing)

1. Favorites Bar Toolbar is the best feature of IE8 RC1. Especially in full screen streamlined view (F11) since the favorites bar is visable when a user uses auto hide checked.

2. IE8 RC1 Memory Usage vs. IE7

IMHO I think IE8 uses more memory. I always felt IE had a big memory useage advantage over other browsers, since IE was better at using less memory & providing good funtionality. IE8 RC1 Memory Usage has been adjusted similar to some browsers out there now like Chrome, which uses more memory, multithreaded & multiprocesses. There are multiple iexplorer.exe processes when there are mulitiple tabs. Tabbed Grouping is a great feature & is also a factor with memory useage since a group may have a new process. Please understand there are advantages of this such as when one tab crashes you don't have to burn the whole browser a user can just close the tab, however currently when people's have less then a Gig a RAM it could be a memory hog (personally I enjoy .5G ,2G, 4G & 8G depending on PC I'm using). Few sinerios to explain:

a. Close the tab & the process doesn't end - When the group is closed the memory is not always free & the process may not end quickly, not using mem efficently.

b IE8 RC1 uses Multiple processes Example 4 tabs in IE8 can have 4 iexplorer.exe processes running (Total 300meg = 50meg, 70meg, 80meg 100meg) & in IE7 it would only be one iexplorer.exe process. (120 meg 1 process)

c. IE8 Minimizing doesn't saves memory any longer - When minimizing the app in IE7 it free'd a good percent of memory (example IE7 is open using 100meg then window is minimized & the mem usage is only 20meg). In IE8 when minimized there is no memory free'd (example if there are 3 iexplorer.exe process are running 120meg, 70meg, 52meg them minimized the prcesses will have have the same mem useage 242meg)

3. Tabbed Grouping is nice feature that color codes groups of tabs (I think there is four colors then they repeat Green, Purple, Yellow & Blue).
4. Ad Blocker - IE8 has an add blocker similar to other browsers out there now. This will make a Google ad not dislay so the content on the screen is not going to be an ad.
5. Accelleraters are good. This is how I've been using them. a. Highlight text(example 123 main street ), b. Right click, click accelerator (ex. Google maps) c. View map of address
6. Find (Ctrl + F) is better similar to webkit with yellow highlight.

7. Multiple Monitors Restart install with multiple monitors for me required adjusting the display properties --> settings resolution. Not a big deal but I felt like mentioning it.
8. Search (Ctrl+E) is improved with images by the providers the user selects.
9. Webslices I haven't used much yet.

As Always All Comments Welcome
Bye for now,

Catto

IE8 RC1 Downloading & Installing in 7 easy steps

Hey Now Everybody,

IE8 RC1 (Microsoft Internet Explorer Release Canidate 1) is now available. When Microsoft Releases a free windows app that is used to browse the web there will be many downloads. I was thinking with the amount of download a tutorial or how to download & install IE8 would be good to post. I enjoy collecting browsers & I'm glad to use IE8.


1. Goto Microsoft Download Center (if its the first time visting you may be promted to 'try the beta' on the right of that 'beta' button there is a 'no thanks' link you may click.)

2 Search for file you'd like to download ex. IE8 Vista (Below is where to download IE8 RC1)

a. IE8 for XP
b. IE8 for Vista/Server 08 x64
c. IE8 for Vista/Server 08 x86

3. Click the Download button
4. Click Next (Alt + N)
5. Click Accept to leagal (Alt + A)
6. Check or don't check for updates & click next (Alt + I, Alt + N)
7. Click Restart


Now it's time to use it. Browsers are the top or one of the top programs people use & IE I feel is the mayflower of browsers. It's fun to install & use IE8. The best change for me after UATing the Beta versions was the Links bar changing to the Favorites bar & by default it's viewable. I also like the group tabbing. Enjoy browsing on IE8.




As always All comments welcome.

Bye for Now,
Catto