Being primarily a web developer, I always get the shivers when Microsoft release a new browser update. The only thing I enjoyed about IE 7 was the almost-alpha-channel support in PNGs (it hates transparent gradients for some reason). IE 7 caused more mayhem to standards-compliant developers’ lives because it was one extra browser we had to take care of and fix in terms of HTML layout, CSS, and Javascript rendering. Hell, sometimes I think IE 6 was easier to fix and IE 7.

And now, word on the tubes is that Redmond are about to launch Internet Explorer 8 today. Oh joy. Another browser to code work-arounds for. I hope atleast they’ve increased Javascript rendering speed. You always hear read about the Javascript speed war between Firefox, Chrome and Safari but never a squeak from the other browser… even if is in the release-candidate phase. What gives MS? Don’t you realise that the future of Rich Internet Applications lie in how fast they can render Javascript? Heard of Canvas? Oh, wait – right, you’re more focused on killing Flash with Silverlight…

We’ll download the latest installment of Microsoft’s attempt at a browser when it’s officially released and review it right here on NerdBoys.

Tags: IE6, IE7, IE8, internet explorer, internet explorer 8, Microsoft