The Evolution of Microsoft Internet Explorer - IE 7

Whether you like it or not, you have Internet Explorer installed on your PC. This hasn't prevented savvy surfers from finding user-friendly and feature-rich alternatives such as Opera and Mozilla Firefox. Microsoft attempts to address its browser's shortcomings with Internet Explorer 7, as well as give the public a small glimpse into what’s to come with their new Windows Vista platform.

The first thing that jumps out at you when you load up Internet Explorer 7 is its new look and layout. Right at the top of the program, you'll find your address bar, with back, forward, and recent history buttons to its left. To the right of the address bar, the refresh and stop buttons appear, and a new text box reserved exclusively for searching. This field, customizable and useful, allows you to choose which search engine you want that box to be linked with. For example, if you don't like the default Microsoft Live Search, you can change the provider to open Google or Yahoo! instead. Gone, by default, is the Menu Bar (an option brings it up if you want it back), and seemingly replacing it is the “Page” and “Tools” drop down menu. More on the Tools button later.

With Internet Explorer 7 (IE7), accessibility is the name of the game. The most noticeable new feature for the everyday web surfer is tabbed browsing. This marks a first for Microsoft, who has seen the competition use this screen friendly, and downright logical, feature for years. In short, tabbed browsing allows you to open multiple pages within one instance of the IE7, thus saving precious desktop space, as well as providing an at-a-glance work environment. Opening new tabs is painlessly easy and intuitive. Under the Address Bar, you will see a tab with your current page. To the right of your last tab, there is a small box with a page inside of it. Clicking that opens up a new tab; that's all there is to it. With the names of the websites written on the tabs themselves, switching between screens and managing your session is a breeze. To the left of the first tab is the Quick Tabs button, a feature Mac OSX users will be very familiar with. Hitting Quick Tabs tiles all the pages you have open on your screen in thumbnail fashion. Click which screen you want and IE7 switches you to that tab; essential when you have 10+ pages open. Tabbed browsing in IE7 is done so well, it’s a wonder why Microsoft didn't integrate this sooner.

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