Internet Explorer 8 breaks the mold with what may be the best written privacy policy for any software product ever. Brier Dudley, Seattle Times
Internet Explorer 8 vs. the competition
Lately, there's been a lot of talk about Internet Explorer's speed, security, and adaptability. But many of the claims are comparing older versions of Internet Explorer to competitors' newest releases.
It's time to clear the air around what's being passed on to you, the real Web users. Here's how the latest version of Internet Explorer 8 really compares to the current competition.
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Myth #1: Internet Explorer is much slower than Firefox and Chrome.
The Real Deal: In tests, Internet Explorer 8 performs as well or better than Firefox and Chrome.
Browser speed can be measured in a number of ways, but what matters most is how quickly you're able to get things done while navigating the Web. After all, 80% of online activities are based around navigation. Watch this video to see how Internet Explorer 8 stacks up against the competition when it comes to getting things done.
That's why our Accelerator, Web Slice, Smart Address Bar, and Visual Search features make it faster, safer, and easier than ever for you to do what you need to do on the Web, giving you an overall better experience. Check out this document to see for yourself.
A lot of Firefox and Chrome advocates like to cling to micro-benchmarking page load claims to measure browser speed. But in most cases, these differences can only be viewed by slow-motion video captures, and they just don't represent real world examples. If you're still hung up on millisecond page load times to gauge performance, watch this video for a head-to-head comparison.
Myth #2: Internet Explorer is less secure than Firefox.
The Real Deal: Research proves that Internet Explorer 8 catches almost twice as much malware than the competition. That's "less secure?"
Internet Explorer was the first browser to integrate features that protect you against phishing and malware, and the first to embed domain highlighting, Cross-Site scripting protection, InPrivate filtering—the list goes on and on. It involves a lot of technical jargon, but the point is, Internet Explorer 8 is the only browser to offer this level of security right out of the box.
Since the Beta 2 release last spring, SmartScreen filter has blocked over 8 million malware and phishing scams, and projections show that it's on target for over 1 million blocks per day. Research shows that Internet Explorer 8 catches almost twice as much malware as its closest competition. And with a Security Response Center and 24/7 phone support, Internet Explorer 8 has the ability to respond faster than any other browser when a new attack is released into the wild. What other browser can say that?
To see all of the nitty-gritty details, read this security whitepaper or check out this NSS Labs study.
Myth #3: Firefox is a richer, more adaptable browser than Internet Explorer.
The Real Deal: Internet Explorer 8 has much more functionality than other browsers, built in from the minute you open it.
Internet Explorer 8 has much more functionality than other browsers, and its functionality is there from the moment you open the browser. Internet Explorer 8 offers almost all of the features the most popular add-ons in Firefox have, and you're able to personalize your browser in a way that saves you time and research.
Did you know that there are more than 1,700 Internet Explorer 8 add-ons available at the Add-ons Gallery, with more being added every day? Partners all over the world are building Accelerators, Web slices, and Visual Search plug-ins for your browser, including Facebook, Amazon, eBay, and much more.
Myth #4: Internet Explorer doesn't play well with Web standards.
The Real Deal: Internet Explorer 8 passes more of the World Wide Web Consortium's test cases than any other browser.
Microsoft made a big commitment to standards with Internet Explorer 8. In addition to passing more of the official CSS 2.1 test suites than any other browser, Microsoft got really hands-on in the overall testing process by developing and contributing thousands of new tests for the consortium.
But what does that really mean? It means that developers will be able to spend more time designing cool new features for their site, and less time tweaking code for specific browsers. Microsoft put significant effort into make sure sites still work, even if they're designed for older versions of Internet Explorer, by giving users a Compatibility View button.
At the end of the day, Internet Explorer 8 truly is more reliable than ever.
Internet Explorer 8 is designed for what you really do on the Web—things like searching, shopping, emailing, or just catching up on the world. Except now you can do all of those things faster, safer, and easier than ever. Really.
But don't just take our word for it. Download Internet Explorer 8 today to see for yourself.