IE8 beta 2

[johnhask]

Anyone testing IE8 beta2 with your standards valid design work? How about the compatibility mode?

[SensoVision]

I just read that it would be another nightmare for creating cross browser compatible design, but I wasn't able to test it myself yet. As IE8 won't install on Linux, maybe I'll succeed later.

In meantime I'll be interested to hear what other people experience with it, and is IE8 render pages in similar way as IE7 or not?

[Andy]

I just recently got an update for IE6 to IE7 so I won't be testing IE8 for now. I think the main compatibility problems used to be rendering of height and width of elements in the same way when using CSS margin and width properties. Also, small things like dotted lines looked different.

Is the PNG problem sorted now where IE used to change the color of the edge/background of images? How about alpha channel support?

[White Wolf]

I had no problems with IE7.
IE8 is crap, has frozen several times and I had to post this using Firefox because IE8 does not render the post form/box correctly.
Also Google toolbar disappears every time you open a new tab

[Andy]

IE8 is crap, has frozen several times and I had to post this using Firefox because IE8 does not render the post form/box correctly.

Oh dear!

In balance, I am having problems with FireFox 3 where it doesn't open my last set of Tabs that I was browsing even though I asked for the last tabs to show in the preferences.

[donecweb]

Oh dear!

In balance, I am having problems with FireFox 3 where it doesn't open my last set of Tabs that I was browsing even though I asked for the last tabs to show in the preferences.

That is why I am still using Swiftweasel 2.0.0,12.

As far as png and IE 7 goes it works fine without background problems for png.

[Andy]

As far as png and IE 7 goes it works fine without background problems for png.

Great news! I think most IE users will be using at least version 7 from now on. I will look into using PNGs with alpha channel again.

I want to create a template generator so it is important to be able to vary the background color behind header images so the color shines through without a visible edge where there should not be an edge.

[SensoVision]

Great news! I think most IE users will be using at least version 7 from now on. I will look into using PNGs with alpha channel again.

not exactly, we should face the facts that many users doesn't have licensed Windows and from what I've heard it's very tricky to install on such software IE7. And not sure like everywhere else but some people I know who love IE6 actually dislike IE7 and not wish to change IE6 either for Firefox or new IE...
And after all it's not work on many systems prior XP SP2.

So my guess that for few years we still have considerable amount of IE6 users and site design have to take them into account.
As if you design page for FF and IE7 not thinking of IE6, in the end you may get complete mess...

Here is also stats about browser use: http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp
As you can see IE7's positions become stronger but still not solid to drop IE6 from account(unfortunately). The good thing that IE5 gone for good.

[Andy]

not exactly, we should face the facts that many users doesn't have licensed Windows and from what I've heard it's very tricky to install on such software IE7.

It depends if you want to support people that use illegal software, these people will be unlikely to ever be customers. So if you run a commercial site you can ignore these users maybe? Anyway, the incompatibilities of your site maybe minor such as some graphics not looking quite right.

I think it sucks to hold back on using say alpha transparency in PNGs just because you may not give some stubborn person the best possible browsing experience of your site.

I understand that some people maybe prefer to stick with old versions of software but I think they will be a minority, and you cannot stick with old software for long and expect it to keep working and be compatible.

As regards the stats, as soon as IE8 was released I got a Windows update for IE7 so I suspect everybody who is running a legal version of XP SP2 will get this update. So these stats may soon change significantly. My first impression is that IE7 is better than 6 if only because now I can easily launch it from the task bar even though my primary browser is FireFox.

[SensoVision]

no it's not the matter of supporting people with illegal Windows copy, as I'm sure that a lot of folks use IE6 for other reasons.

Anyway, the incompatibilities of your site maybe minor such as some graphics not looking quite right.

not really e.g. IE6 and 7 clear things in different way and other minor things which could create major problems, I can't name them from the head but constantly face them when slicing design(so if you interested, I can make a note once it happen and post about it later).

I understand that some people maybe prefer to stick with old versions of software but I think they will be a minority, and you cannot stick with old software for long and expect it to keep working and be compatible.

of course but migrating to new version would take time, and till that moment we still need product IE6 compatible design.

[donecweb]

My first impression is that IE7 is better than 6 if only because now I can easily launch it from the task bar even though my primary browser is FireFox.

I have trouble understanding this since as far back as I can remember you have had the ability to add programs to your quick launch bar (including your IE 6 link) quite easily.

[Andy]

I have trouble understanding this since as far back as I can remember you have had the ability to add programs to your quick launch bar (including your IE 6 link) quite easily.

This time it just appeared there without me having to work out how to add it. Before this I was using the address bar of the Windows Explorer to initiate IE.