Comments on: IE 8 Beta 2 Impressions http://cquirke.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/ie-8-beta-2-impressions/ Long lead times need long forward planning Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:22:09 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: cquirke http://cquirke.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/ie-8-beta-2-impressions/#comment-95 cquirke Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:22:09 +0000 http://cquirke.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/ie-8-beta-2-impressions/#comment-95 At some point, we should see regular builds, for testers to assess whether bugs are fixed and ensure new bugs don't arise. However, these builds will probably not be waved around as publically as IE8b2 and what I expect to be a later and more widespread acceptability-tester. That's not a matter of "secrecy", just that the resources needed to publicize and distribute a public beta wouldn't be well-spent by repeating the process for each week's new build. The folks who will actually test such things will be hooked into Connect, and from there, it should be easy to find and pull the new beta builds. The other option is to what MS already did with IE8b2 over IE8b1; deliver the new build as an automatic update. Firefox is nice because it's self-contained and small, so patching just becomes a matter of replacing the whole thing. However, this nearly always breaks extensions, leading to prompts to "look for new versions" that could be used to keep malware current and ahead of av detection. Personally, I hate plugins and extensions, so I'm happy to slough them off :-) IEb2's still a bit wobbly, and in ways that are different to IEb1 (i.e. some old bugs fixed, some new bug patterns added) - so we definitely need some more builds before RC or RTM status. At some point, we should see regular builds, for testers to assess whether bugs are fixed and ensure new bugs don’t arise. However, these builds will probably not be waved around as publically as IE8b2 and what I expect to be a later and more widespread acceptability-tester.

That’s not a matter of “secrecy”, just that the resources needed to publicize and distribute a public beta wouldn’t be well-spent by repeating the process for each week’s new build. The folks who will actually test such things will be hooked into Connect, and from there, it should be easy to find and pull the new beta builds.

The other option is to what MS already did with IE8b2 over IE8b1; deliver the new build as an automatic update.

Firefox is nice because it’s self-contained and small, so patching just becomes a matter of replacing the whole thing. However, this nearly always breaks extensions, leading to prompts to “look for new versions” that could be used to keep malware current and ahead of av detection. Personally, I hate plugins and extensions, so I’m happy to slough them off :-)

IEb2’s still a bit wobbly, and in ways that are different to IEb1 (i.e. some old bugs fixed, some new bug patterns added) – so we definitely need some more builds before RC or RTM status.

]]> By: Dan W. http://cquirke.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/ie-8-beta-2-impressions/#comment-94 Dan W. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:38:37 +0000 http://cquirke.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/ie-8-beta-2-impressions/#comment-94 I agree Chris and I do hope that there are more Internet Explorer 8 betas as well and I was kind of forced into using Internet Explorer 8 after I wanted to downgrade to Internet Explorer 6 and ran into *.dll h_ll. Anyway, I am now using Internet Explorer 8 beta 2 and do enjoy it. I hope Microsoft will at the bare minimum have a 3rd beta of Internet Explorer and hopefully even more because the more fully the web browser is tested the better it will be in the end. I am still saddened that a user must use Mozilla Firefox to allow for 256 bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) or use Windows Vista which allows for 256 bit AES cipher strength. I have asked Microsoft for this level of security in Windows XP Professional but was turned down flat and so I know that Mozilla Firefox 2.x will remain my browser of choice for now. Sure, Mozilla Firefox 3.x has better security but still lacks some compatibility with extensions so there is no rush for me. I am not usually an early adopter of new technology but I certainly enjoy being a tester of new software that has the chance to be used by millions or even billions of users around the world. I agree Chris and I do hope that there are more Internet Explorer 8 betas as well and I was kind of forced into using Internet Explorer 8 after I wanted to downgrade to Internet Explorer 6 and ran into *.dll h_ll. Anyway, I am now using Internet Explorer 8 beta 2 and do enjoy it. I hope Microsoft will at the bare minimum have a 3rd beta of Internet Explorer and hopefully even more because the more fully the web browser is tested the better it will be in the end. I am still saddened that a user must use Mozilla Firefox to allow for 256 bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) or use Windows Vista which allows for 256 bit AES cipher strength. I have asked Microsoft for this level of security in Windows XP Professional but was turned down flat and so I know that Mozilla Firefox 2.x will remain my browser of choice for now. Sure, Mozilla Firefox 3.x has better security but still lacks some compatibility with extensions so there is no rush for me. I am not usually an early adopter of new technology but I certainly enjoy being a tester of new software that has the chance to be used by millions or even billions of users around the world.

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