Microsoft Ships RC1 for IE 7

Published: August 30, 2006

by Alex Woodie

Microsoft came one step closer to shipping its new Web browser, Internet Explorer 7, last week when it unveiled the first release candidate (RC1) for IE 7 running on Windows XP. The move keeps Microsoft on track to release IE 7 into production by the end of the year.

The delivery of IE 7--the Web browser that almost didn't happen--is being timed to coincide with Windows Vista, which is also very close to entering the RC1 state itself (see Windows Vista RC1 On the Verge). Microsoft has two versions of IE 7 cooking-one that will be designed to work with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), called IE 7 for XP, and another for Vista, called IE 7+, which will contain some Vista-only features, such as enhanced network-diagnostic abilities, a "Protected Mode," and parental controls.

Like the latest Windows XP service pack, SP2, the new iteration of IE will see new security features, including a new phishing filter, and better protection of personal information by being able to delete data such as history, cookies, temporary Internet files, form data, and passwords, with a single click.

IE 7 will also bring new features that have become commonplace in competitive products, such as the tabbed-browsing function in Mozilla's Firefox browser, which has consistently chipped away at IE's monopoly over the last two years (although there are still many, many times more IE users than Firefox users). Version 7 will also introduce an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) reader to IE for the first time.

IE7 for XP RC1 is available now in English, and localized versions of RC1 will be available in September for Arabic, Finnish, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish. When the code is set on IE 7, Microsoft will distribute it as a high-priority update for Windows XP via Automatic Updates, due to the security enhancements included in the browser.

You can download IE 7 for XP RC1 at www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx.