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Why Internet Explorer 7 / Internet Explorer 8 Sucks
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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://bootstrike.com).

53 comments RSS of last 10 posts

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Unregistered Anonymous Internet Exploder that's why! Seriously there are no other browsers?

M$ in general sucks their browser is the least of our problems.
posted 30 Mar 2015 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous Umm... Why the heck do you use IE?
Most pages with HTML5 (which is the newest nowadays) have problems working with only Internet Explorer.

Using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox not only enhances your browsing experience, but also gives you ultra fast browsing, high-realtime security, always the newest updates (also in Flash, Java, Shockwave, etc etc), and finally you can customized them the way YOU want!
With millions of add-ons in store, more coming every day, you'll have a unique browsing experience.. Just the way YOU like it!
posted 20 Apr 2012 - show 1 replies - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous "Last Updated 22nd April 2009."

You're almost three years late. Using arguments that weren't nearly as valid back then. Impressive.
posted 3 Aug 2012 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous Another option I found: GreenBrowser
This is a lightweight (2MB, portable) browser that uses IE's engine.

Pros: IE6 look and feel (although a bit ugly); lightweight, portable, and fast; should work with any version of IE
Cons: does not support IE's plug-ins; far too many settings (takes patience and experimentation); lacks multimedia (eg. Flash)

http://www.morequick.com/indexen.htm
posted 17 Mar 2012 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous Option: Use Classic IE6 Interface.

One option, a bit of space for the interface and a lot of users will be happy, no security issues and no speed issues with a great gain.

I use FF but for the little i do with IE i have IE6, i will not update to IE 7-8-9-X until the classic interface become an option or until i really become forced to do that.

And... IE6 usage still at 15%, put on the classic interface on the other IE and the usage ratio will drop near 0.
posted 21 Nov 2010 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous If you guys haven't heard of it yet, there is a little freeware add-on for IE6/7/8 called IE7Pro that ads a few cool features, such as an option to move the MENU bar *back on top*, as well as removing the Search Bar (for those who do not want to mess with the registry yourself).

Just Google: IE7Pro
posted 19 Sep 2010 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous stop going against IE, guys!

this site might get a high risk of getting deleted...
posted 10 Aug 2010 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous Both IE7 and IE8 truly do stink. I tried them at home and went back to 6. No choice at work, the dreaded NMCI crammed it down our throats. I don't care how large may screen gets, it is still all about maximum real estate. In IE6, I want the status bar at bottom, stuck with the title bar on top, so below that, I have File Menu, Standard Buttons (small, no text) and Address Bar all in ONE single row. IE7or 8 forces me to have THREE rows, no matter how the individual elements are configured. My Windows Explorer at home and work looks the same as IE6 at home, but works differently. With 6 I can type a web address in Windows E and the same window just goes there. If I type a drive-file-path in IE6 also it just goes there in that window. Since the Windows E still looked the same after IE7 installed, I thought I could type a web address or pick a favorite in Windows E and would be able to maintain the look and real estate I want--WRONG! It switched to the IE7 window and moved it from a site I did not want to leave... Thx Bill...
posted 12 Jun 2010 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous I'm a PHP, Ajax, javascript coder and web designer. All my stuff works great in all the web browsers out there, except for, guess what? IE8! It's a nightmare. The worst is having to base all my coding on the sh**ty browser. Before i used to program everything on Firefox. Now I am forced to use IE! In most of the cases I have to re-start from scratch. There are no good debugging tools available for IE. All the good stuff is available for the other browsers (i.e. Firebug). We are using a similar tool for IE but it lacks most of the detailed options Firebug offers. I suggest a boycott: No one should use IE! To bad Banks and the like depend on IE security and certifications.... This will never end.
posted 8 Jun 2010 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous I can't see the icons on the tool bar area anymore it is all black how to you stop the black and bring back the icons?
posted 7 Jan 2010 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous im spending half my fucking day off trying to access company email, ie keeps adding http when i dont type it, can't find way around it, useless security messages and wont allow me to do anything, waste of fucking money, tabs open, can't tell when a new page is opened, constant security pop ups, who is the hot shot that came up with this piece of shit?
posted 25 Dec 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous Actually, Firefox (and I believe Maxthon 2) have better web standards compliance than any IE browser. Also, Firefox has a thing like InPrivate Browsing, and does have better security than IE.
posted 9 Dec 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous Why does Internet Explorer 7 / 8 suck. I can honestly say that this web browser really is nothing to write home about. Maybe when Microsoft Corporation decided to give up their domination in the web browsers maybe then they can design a cool web browser like Mozilla Firefox or Google's Chrome or even Apple's Safari. People are getting upset over Microsoft Internet Explorer. I myself installed and downloaded both Mozilla Firefox and Google's Chrome and I love these two web browsers I also installed and downloaded Mozilla Firefox's Thunderbird ( their E - Mail service ) and I love it ever since. Besides Mozilla Firefox is all cool and way better having Mozilla Firefox is just the best way one can surf the Internet and by having Mozilla Firefox as your web browser surfing the Internet is the way it is and the way it should be.
posted 29 Nov 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous MS please issue a patch to make IE8 (or whatever is the newest) to look like IE6 - no tabs, no "search bar". Pretty please. I'd even pay for it.
posted 14 Nov 2009 - show 1 replies - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous I would pay $$$$$$ for an IE6 look alike browser in functionalitiy without obnoxisous address bar drop downs that worked just like IE6. I've tried them all and they all want to give me crap I DO NOT WANT. I talked to MS and they said it was a "feature" and they didn't udnerstand why anyone would want to trash it...yet in google there are tons of pages requesting that exact thing.
posted 29 Nov 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous ie8 really sucks. it does not delete browsing history. i am loosing all the confidence in microsoft products.i don't know what their emplyees are doing except doing bad job with all their new products. vista is nightmare also.
posted 3 Nov 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous The option of:

"Show Stop and Refresh Buttons before Address Bar"

With this sort of microsoft-mentality future UI options will take the form of

"Move Back/Forward Buttons One Line Down"
"Move Address Bar One Space Prior To Reresh Button"
"Move Menu Bar To Below Status Line"
"Move Favorites Bar To Above Menu Bar"
etc.

Quote: "Microsoft could have at least set this as an option."

Wow, what a novel (1990s) idea, allow the USER to customize a user interface. What are the redmond inbred-b@stards thinking.

Unless *ALL* native toolbars and *ALL* toolbar buttons can be moved to where the user wants them, then IE7/IE8 contains A HARDCODED USER INTERFACE which is caveman-era and the likes of 1980s computing.

Unless *ALL* top-screen UI elements can be potentially placed ON THE SAME LINE, then it's a moronic, asinine, HARD-CODED USER INTERFACE.

The age of software arrogance!
posted 15 Oct 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Kennygdoubt (1 posts) Kennygdoubt dam ill say, ie 7 and 8 suck, why the need to put all this extra crap on it, its not nessecary, who uses it anyway.
posted 21 Aug 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous IE8 is a giant clusterf@ck computer geek patch blanket. Can't find anything, nothing works !!!!
posted 12 Aug 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Leon Redbone Unregistered Anonymous And also, why the freak do even need tabs? I open everything in its own window. So what if i have 6 or 7 windows open at once, how freaking hard is that to navigate? Tabs are of no use whatsoever to me.
And come on people, you dont freaking need a search bar in your browser. Dont you know how to "send shortcut to desktop" of a website that you use constantly? I have a neat little row of search sites, only 3 or 4 on my desktop that I can easily click on without the help of my browser. I only use scroogle, odp, wiki and clusty. There is no use or reason for any other search site. Why the FREAK do you need to have that crap clogging up your browser view? I swear people today have the minds of 5 year olds, and I apologize to actual 5 year olds, because they are wiser than that.
posted 2 Aug 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Leon Redbone Unregistered Anonymous I dont need a freaking search toolbar!
I am not so stupid that I cant simply click on the scroogle icon which I placed on my desktop to search for something. I dont need my browser to guide me along like i'm 5 years old.
What a Joke!
I unistalled ie8 immediately, what a mistake to even download it. Plus they got a whole long toolbar just to put the favorites button on it, when the favorites button is already on the menu bar!
What kind of a loser programmer/developer designed that stupid addition?
Give ie6 anyday or firefox. Ill never go any higher than ie6 if these fools are going to keep designing browsers like this.
posted 2 Aug 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Lori Ryan Unregistered Anonymous IE 7 and 8 are both pitiful, in my view. Way back when IE 7 came out I downloaded it as part of a microsoft update, and I was APALLED!....couldn't change it back to IE6 fast enough!! Personally I LIKE having windows versus tabs, and I certainly like my buttons. Glad some folks like IE 6 and 7, but it's just not for me....and only 2 pages open? hmmmmm....just hope I can continue to use IE6 for a while.
posted 28 Jun 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Anon Unregistered Anonymous (censored)..ctrl-t does open a new tab in IE7. And you can set it to either open your homepage or a blank tab. Not saying IE7 is good, but it IS better than IE6, at least it HAS tabs. Next time do your research properly though. kthnxbai

Last edited by Admin 8 Mar 2009 . Reason: (censored)
posted 8 Mar 2009 - show 1 replies - Reply - Permanent Link
Admin Administrator Admin The point was the needless 'empty tab' at the far right. The other point was since the keyboard shortcuts and menu commands exist, why have an empty tab?
posted 8 Mar 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
Chris K Greece Unregistered Anonymous IE doesn't even compare to Firefox !
Shame on you Microsoft ! Billy , you failed 100% !
IE , especially no.7 , is total garbage !
IT JUST SUCKS ! I know what I'm talking about , I work as a web developer.
I expected much more from the so-called "leading company in pc technology".
FIREFOX RULES , IE SUCKS !
posted 2 Feb 2009 - show 1 replies - Reply - Permanent Link
Unregistered Anonymous i'd love to change to firefox but unfortunately favourites works and bookmarks doesn't appear to do anything useful whatsoever
posted 9 Mar 2010 - Reply - Permanent Link
johno Unregistered Anonymous IE 7 = Total rubbish. I tried it for a few days then ininstalled it and went back to IE6 and Firefox. Generallly I use Firefox for browsing and for any sites that don't like it I fall back on IE6. The main problem I have with IE7 is it's speed or the lack of it. Just painfully slow. Possibly due to the built in security. I also hate the interface with a passion.

At work I'm forced to use this horrible browser cos that's what the company uses and if I'd had a gun I'm sure I would have either shot myself or the pc.All it does is crash. I can't even open multiple tabs without the damn thing crashing out on me.
Summing it up IE7 is just another MS failure. Anyone remember Windows ME?
posted 5 Dec 2008 - Reply - Permanent Link
kris Unregistered Anonymous IE7 is a total nightmare from a developer's point-of-view. Hello, Mr Gates ever heard of w3c standards? IE just makes life harder for no reason. Total and utter bulls*%t!!!
posted 22 Sep 2008 - Reply - Permanent Link
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Unregistered Anonymous How can you limit the size of the name box to twentys spaces (nineteen letters)? Are you soliciting false names, or are you simply unaware that much of world's population has long names by American standards? Whoooo!

IE7 sucks because Microsoft sucks. They hire and fire, hire and fire, so that there's little or no continuity. All software bears the "personality" of it author. Hence, Microsoft spaghetti code.

Now that Firefox has finally "decided" to obey the CSS rules and display pages as IE does, it's now my browser of choice.



posted 4 Jul 2008 - Reply - Permanent Link
Lincoln Unregistered Anonymous Although I use Firefox as my main browser mainly because it's much faster. From an interface perspective l prefer the cleaner IE7 over the clutter of IE6. As for the Google toolbar and all other third party toolbars they've caused more problems on computers at work then the browser. BTW there is history on the arrow next to the back and forward icons.
posted 9 May 2008 - Reply - Permanent Link
Kokomanabean Unregistered Anonymous I just want new tools to be improved tools, not repackaged.

The thing I hate is that there is no history on the BACK and FORWARD buttons. Maybe there is a way to fix that, ... I don't know.

posted 18 Mar 2008 - Reply - Permanent Link
baljeetd Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 1 Jan 2008 - Reply - Permanent Link
Cliff Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 14 Nov 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
Omg Unregistered Anonymous crap sound!!!!!!!!!!!
posted 10 Sep 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
Dallas Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 28 Jul 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
RockStar Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 20 Jul 2007 - show 1 replies - Reply - Permanent Link
Goodbye to MS IE7 Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 30 Sep 2008 - Reply - Permanent Link
lamarck Unregistered Anonymous need more space? just hit F11 in FF you'll see
posted 10 Feb 2009 - Reply - Permanent Link
daneyul Unregistered Anonymous 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!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted 5 Jun 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
The Cow Exploder Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 26 May 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
Intel-Geek Unregistered Anonymous 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
posted 15 May 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
Hate IE7 Unregistered Anonymous Fuck microsoft!
posted 8 Apr 2007 - show 1 replies - Reply - Permanent Link
Citizen Cordo Unregistered Anonymous 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!
posted 20 Apr 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
Me Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 6 Apr 2007 - show 1 replies - Reply - Permanent Link
CrackaLackin' Unregistered Anonymous 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...
posted 6 Apr 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
J-mu Unregistered Anonymous 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!
posted 24 Mar 2007 - show 1 replies - Reply - Permanent Link
johny nutsaq Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 22 Apr 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
apt310 Unregistered Anonymous Installed it at home, uninstalled it 10 minutes later. Now there forcing me to use it at work. It realv does suck.
posted 16 Mar 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
dave Unregistered Anonymous 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.
posted 31 Jan 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
mac daddy Unregistered Anonymous 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?
posted 30 Jan 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
Ed Unregistered Anonymous 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**
posted 24 Jan 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
krs360 Unregistered Anonymous Yup, Microsoft f**ks up again!
posted 4 Jan 2007 - Reply - Permanent Link
SAM Unregistered Anonymous All IE's stink.... why would you even consider stick with it?

posted 29 Dec 2006 - Reply - Permanent Link

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