| expand content | forums | advertise |

Home > Articles > Why Internet Explorer 7 / Internet Explorer 8 Sucks

Why Internet Explorer 7 / Internet Explorer 8 Sucks
Version 0.53

This article explains why the new Internet Explorer 7 / Internet Explorer 8 sucks.

Before (IE6 - Classic Theme)

After (IE7 - Classic Theme)

After (IE8 - Classic Theme)

Can't have the menu bar on top

The menu bar is just disabled, not entirely gone. Right click on an empty area and I was able to restore the menu bar. However, it only appeared below the row where it contains the back and forward buttons.

There's no way to make it appear on top. No matter how I dragged the slider.

It is possible to force the bar to the top, by means of a registry hack. Riiight...

UPDATE IE8 (Apr 22 2009): IE8 has the same issue as well :(

Can't Restore the original toolbar buttons

I prefer my Back, Forward, Stop and Refresh buttons as the first few buttons on the top - the classic IE6 way.

And the Refresh and Stop buttons go right to the end of the row. Can't we have a "Classic View" as IE6 has?

UPDATE IE8 (Apr 22 2009): IE8 allows moving the two buttons to the left by right-clicking an empty toolbar area, 'Customize' and 'Show Stop and Refresh Buttons before Address Bar'. However, you still can't revert to the IE6 classic view with large buttons and labels.

Can't remove search bar

Google toolbar already does this, thank you very much.

Right-click? Nope. The only items you can remove from the interface is the.... *drum roll* ..... status bar.

PS - you can't move the address bar too. Or the order of buttons in the standard toolbar for that matter.

Update: The search bar can be removed by means of a registry hack.

UPDATE IE8 (Apr 22 2009):

IE8 has the same issue as well :( But it can be removed via... (drum roll) .. gpedit.msc > Local Computer Policy > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer > "Prevent Internet Explorer Search Box from displaying" (source). So much effort just to remove a Search Bar?

By the way, Group Policy editor only works for Professional XP users so home users have to manually adjust the registry.

IE8 also now allows removing of the Command Bar. But that is the only additional thing you can remove as compared to IE7 through the interface.

Can't access EMail/Newsgroups in one click

Where is the one click button to access my email?

UPDATE IE8 (Apr 22 2009): IE8 does not have this feature back as well :(

Empty tab is a funny idea

I want to open a tab by either hitting Ctrl+T, Ctrl+N or File > New Tab. That's how Maxthon and Firefox works. And I like that idea. Having an empty tab on the far right takes up space and gives a visual misunderstanding to me that there is an unattended tab.

Microsoft could have at least set this as an option.

UPDATE IE8 (Apr 22 2009): IE8 does not have this feature as well :(

Opening a link in a new tab does not copy history

In IE6, when you click a link while holding the SHIFT button, it opens the link in a new window while maintaining the back button entries. It was very useful when you need to open a tab and maintain the same history as well.

In IE7, that feature is gone.

UPDATE IE8 (Apr 22 2009): IE8 does not have this feature back as well :(

Tabs Row filled with buttons at the end

The row of tabs should not have any buttons! It is meant for tabs and only tabs.

Perhaps Microsoft was thinking that normal users use only a few tabs at one time.

UPDATE IE8 (Apr 22 2009): YES! You can now move the buttons to join with the toolbars. You can even remove it completely!

Complaints Galore!

Just check the Microsoft Internet Explorer newsgroup. Google gives it a High Activity rating.

What Rocks

  • Multiple tabs
  • Better Security (Phishing, ActiveX, Protected Mode)
  • Each-Tab-In-One-Process (ala Chrome) (Internet Explorer 8)

IE7 looks to be released to battle Firefox. For me, it is back to Maxthon 2. which uses the IE7 engine but with a much improved frontend.

IE8 still loses out to Firefox and Maxthon 2. Although IE8 boasts features such as InPrivate, Each-Tab-In-One-Process (ala Chrome) and better web standards compatibility, what I am more concerned about is the front end interface. Which still fails. Hopefully Microsoft will allow more customizability optons with future updates or in IE9.

Last Updated 22nd April 2009.

Errors? Omissions? Need Help? Know something? Post your queries in the Discussion Forum.

This document is Copyright(©) 2001-2009 by G.Ganesh. Visit Bootstrike.Com (http://www.bootstrike.com).

Bookmark this page!

38 Comments

Add your comment! (No registration required)

Page: Prev 1 2 3 Next Show All

baljeetd - 2 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
Opera is the intelligent choice in browsers. However, due to there being a few non-compliant websites out there, you'll need to revert to IE 6 or 7 < 1% of the time.
Cliff - 2 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
IE7 came with my new XP-included PC. Uninstalled it the second I set the machine up. I use Firefox anyways, and if I really need IE for something, just use IETab.
Omg - 2 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
crap sound!!!!!!!!!!!
Dallas - 2 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
IE7 Is Microsofts Latest attempt to monopolize search engine use. It does really Suck. and what they did by intentionally making it almost impossible to use Outlook Express anymore and merging all identities into one is just reprehesible.
RockStar - 2 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
Auuggh! Why are you guys against MS?
I think IE7 is great. At least. I'm happy with it. I have large area to view entire page with those annoying menu and toolbar buttons gone or hidden. I don't want to remove the search bar it is good enough to carryout search without browsing into the page first. I prefer Opera over Mozilla since it is faster, safer and more customizable. IE6 keeps on crashing IE 7 is quiet stable with great support for all types of sites. If I'd want something, I can easily use the webbrowser control and recreate the entire interface for myself but that's unlikely coz I'm happy with the latest build.
Goodbye to MS IE7 - 1 year ago - Reply - Permanent Link
If you want the large viewing area, use ie6, put the address box on the top line and the google box on the 2nd line; minimal intrusion onto the page. ie7 is either very buggy or uses more CPU; it crippled my machine (far worse than Mozilla). And why can't you move the bits around (like the Refresh and Stop - why are they all the way over there)? It is very poor indeed. I'm back to Moz. principally with ie6 for the odd browse. How do MS manage to get it so wrong, so often.
lamarck - 9 months ago - Reply - Permanent Link
need more space? just hit F11 in FF you'll see
daneyul - 2 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
About the search bar--you said "google does this, thank you"

You should have said "google does this MUCH better, thank you". No search site button. No highlighting search words on the page, or putting the search terms on the bar to click on them as a quick find on the page. No access to google groups.

Their search bar is god awful, and YOU CAN"T REMOVE IT!!!!!!!!

ARGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Cow Exploder - 2 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
IE7 = Gone. Also just happens to rule out any Vista upgrade on my part, and makes me disinclined to purchase the new computer I was considering. It's said that the best security for the internet is to remain disconnected from it, and MicroSoft certainly seems to be moving that direction - IE7 (and Vista) are so rampant with security as to be essentially unusable.
Intel-Geek - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
Why does MS think that removing all the icons and text on the header bar or making them soo small that this is an improvment? I hope they receive 1000's of support calls from people asking where is everything now...IE7 is a joke, I am not sure what MS is thinking these days..Just like Vista...I mean...get real
Hate IE7 - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
Fuck microsoft!
Citizen Cordo - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
All HAIL THE MICROSOFT/hard. PRAISE BE THE COMPANY TAX THE CITIZNES WE TOIL FOR THU BIG ONE IN OWR DARK HOVELS ON ANXIETY INDUCING MS EMPLOYEE DRUGS! BIG TAX PRIASE BE THE COMPANY!!! MS=GOD!
Me - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
The best thing about Internet Explorer 7 is that when you un-install it, IE 6 is already there!

There's no need to re-install it.
CrackaLackin' - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
F**king right! They should not have released IE7 as a "critical update" and force it down all of our throats the way they did. I am currently using FireFox & IE6 for my browsing needs...
J-mu - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
IE 7 seems to view less sites correctly than Firefox, which had the record till now. Can't see menubars, esp. drop downs, in many sites on both. Firefox at least has the excuse that they are the little guy, and will work to fix it, but Microsoft is the big guy that just says "deal with it". As soon as I figure out the menu fixes for my sites I'm switching permanently, and taking as many as possible with me!
johny nutsaq - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
define correctly- try creating a site thats even moderately standards compliant and fill us in on what you think about ie. Firefox's quirks are not the result of being the "little guy"; they're the fault of non compliant web design, which is the result of microsofts attempt to define web standards and if possible, make them proprietary.
apt310 - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
Installed it at home, uninstalled it 10 minutes later. Now there forcing me to use it at work. It realv does suck.
dave - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
I'm with all you guys on IE7, the only decent feature is the enhanced zoom, and the view pages.

I use firefox 2.x with noia so it's not so plain, and IE6 only if necessary. I can't tell you the number of people's machines I have stopped from wanting to update to IE7 with "Don't ask me again".

Only problem with the non-IE browsers is the fact that they need plug-ins to view different pages and I don't mind that at all.
mac daddy - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
Internet Explorer 7 really sucks! I always gets freezes and it seems to be slower than firefox. Of course firefox doesnt work with all sites but I think it is much better overall. Is there really a "great" browser out there or does nobody seem to care anymore?
Ed - 3 years ago - Reply - Permanent Link
Yup, IE6 is decent enough (for microsoft's standards)... All of us hate that menu bar below that -pseudo modern- directions bar... and... err... how 'bout the process itself?, it uses a little more CPU n RAM, I think... but, at least, it's a little safer... there you go, crackers... fawck it up again.
Oh well, I keep using firefox anyways... **uninstalls it**

Page: Prev 1 2 3 Next Show All



Bookmark this page!

Privacy Policy - Terms of Use - Contact Us - Site Map - Advertise
All original content (©) Copyright 1997-2009 Bootstrike.Com. 0.04885 seconds to render.