News flash: Microsoft is actually planning a version 7.0 release of Internet Explorer. Here's the
announcement from the Internet Explorer Weblog
and the official press
release.
Both of these mention the word "security" many times, but neither mentions the word "standards", so don't get too
excited. In fact, Bill Gates' speech says that the new release will add security while "maintaining the level of
extensibility and compatibility that customers have come to expect". So look forward to many more years of the level of
compatibility we've come to expect…
Beta versions will be available this summer, and the ship date is "when the product is ready." As you might expect, IE
7.0 will be available only for Windows XP SP2.
Despite the security emphasis, I'm happy to hear that Microsoft no longer considers Internet Explorer "finished", so
maybe someone can get through to them about standards—and a secure version of IE would certainly be a good thing
regardless.
[via 456 Berea Street]
