IE9 Release Candidate...Released

[Josh]

I am writing this from the latest RC of IE9. This version brings with it many compatibility fixes, improved support for various new web standards and a new Tracking Protection Lists which allow the user to block content which might impact privacy.

More information, and a download link, can be found here: IE9 Release Candidate

TPL lists can be found here: Tracking Protection Lists

[Stoic Joker]

Cool, downloading now!

[Stoic Joker]

Okay, Posting from IE9 RC

I decided to go with the EasyList TPL, (basically) because I recognized the AdBlock name it was tied to. So... We'll see how that works out.

My ieSpell addon is still working (this is good...!)

@Josh - Which (if any) TPL did you go with?

[Josh]

I am using Easylist as well.

[Renegade]

I tried the beta and it was horrible. I had to uninstall it. 

I'll wait for a bit then see what people have to say.

[Stoic Joker]

I am using Easylist as well.

Hm... does yours feel a bit slower also? Even after a reboot (which I seldom do/required by the install) to seems that I'm waiting noticeably longer for the pages to be rendered. It was definitely quicker before the RC/TPL.

I tried the beta and it was horrible. I had to uninstall it. 

I'll wait for a bit then see what people have to say.

Horrible in what way?

[Renegade]

I tried the beta and it was horrible. I had to uninstall it. 

I'll wait for a bit then see what people have to say.

Horrible in what way?

As in everything I needed to do in it didn't work. It was a while ago and I forget the specifics. I just remember that I had to get rid of it as it just didn't work properly to the degree that I couldn't get work done.

[MrCrispy]

I don't like that they removed a bunch of features from IE8 in an effort to make it more Chrome-like. Not everyone likes Chrome's spartan UI, but it appears all browsers are headed that way.

[Deozaan]

It still has a lot of catching up to do.

Lots of HTML5 standard features still missing if you load up this page in IE9 RC: http://www.modernizr.com/

[Josh]

How many of those HTML 5 "standard features" are finalized standards?

[f0dder]

How many of those HTML 5 "standard features" are finalized standards?

Is anything from HTML5 "finalized standards"?

It's about getting on the bandwagon and implementing as much of the current standard as possible. It's nice that MS are doing important things wrt. security and speed, and claiming they're aiming for standard compatibility... but...

[Josh]

Does anyone know how to do keyword searching in ie9? similar to when you type "g search term here" to search google?

[Stoic Joker]

You mean search aliases?

I've been using the same create search alias registry hacks since IE4 and they still work:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl]
"provider"=""

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl\di]
@="http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=%s"
" "="+"
"%"="%25"
"&"="%26"
"+"="%2B"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl\g]
@="http://www.google.com/search?q=%s"
" "="+"
"%"="%25"
"&"="%26"
"+"="%2B"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl\gi]
@="http://images.google.com/images?q=%s"
" "="+"
"%"="%25"
"&"="%26"
"+"="%2B"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl\kb]
@="http://support.microsoft.com/?id=kb;en-us;%s"
" "="+"
"%"="%25"
"&"="%26"
"+"="%2B"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl\mw]
@="http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=%s"
" "="+"
"%"="%25"
"&"="%26"
"+"="%2B"

The above entries can be used as a template to create an alias for anything you want.

[Eóin]

Mozilla have called out the RC on it's actual level of HTML5 compatibility: Is IE9 a modern browser? (from El Reg)

[zridling]

@Josh; f0dder
Not certain, but I don't think HTML5 is not scheduled for standardization until 2014.

[Deozaan]

Today Windows Update suggested I install IE9 RC, so I did, and tried it out. Hence my earlier comment about modernizr.

I'm not a fan of the interface. Many of the buttons are in the wrong places. Why is the Home (and favorites) button way over to the right, away from the other navigation buttons? Ditto with Reload and Stop loading. All the navigation buttons should be near each other, IMO. I also don't like having the tabs and the address bar in the same vertical space. I open a lot of tabs, and they get cramped way too much when most of the room is taken up with the address bar.

Also, an extension shows up in a toolbar which takes up an entire horizontal row all by itself. Why? This wastes all the space that was saved from putting the address bar up with the tabs. I prefer like the way Chrome handles it with a small icon for extensions in the same area as the address bar.