Ie8 Passes Acid 2 Test

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

Another step in working towards interoperability. It is very important in the world where web browsers are free and there are many alternatives. For example: Mozilla Firefox and Opera.

On December 19, Ars Technica ran an article that confirms the pre-beta builds of Internet Explorer 8 did indeed pass the Acid 2 test. According to the same article, Microsoft is walking on a thin line between interoperability and compatibility with older Internet Explorer builds like 6 and 7. Also, it should be noted that the first Internet Explorer 8 beta will be released in early 2008.

Since getting Internet Explorer 7 out the door in October 2006, Microsoft has kept mostly silent on the topic of its successor. That changed today, as Microsoft made a couple of significant announcements about IE8.
Internal builds of Internet Explorer 8 have passed the Acid2 test, a complex rendering test designed to demonstrate a browser's compliance with the letter of the HTML and CSS specs. Currently, Mac OS X browsers OmniWeb and Safari and cross-platform Opera pass the test, as do the betas of Firefox 3.0.

Although Acid2 has become a significant benchmark for standards compliance, it's not really a true standards compliance test. In 2005, IE developer Chris Wilson referred to it as a "'wish list' of features" the test's authors would like to have supported in a browser. Still, it's an important milestone for the IE and its developers, as the application has been criticized over the years for its lack of compliance with standards—including by Opera in its antitrust complaint filed with the European Commission last week. (In fact, if the release version of IE8 supports Acid2, Microsoft could argue to the EC that it is at least as standards-compliant as the competition.)

Better interoperability and support for web standards are high priorities for the IE8 team, according to IE general manager Dean Hachamovitch. "The key goal (for the Web Standards Project as well as many other groups and individuals) is interoperability," wrote Hachamovitch on the IEBlog. "As a developer, I'd prefer to not have to write the same site multiple times for different browsers... With respect to standards and interoperability, our goal in developing Internet Explorer 8 is to support the right set of standards with excellent implementations and do so without breaking the existing web." A laudable goal, to be sure, but the millions of users still on IE6 ensure that the problem won't be going away anytime soon.

More on this story: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

I think it is truly an amazing thing Microsoft is finally realizing. People embrace standards than vendor-lock-ins.

xboxrulz

[pyost 0]

Nice to hear this, but it will still be years before we can stop checking out web page in Internet Explorer 6 (don't know about IE7's rendering system, though). If IE8 is released in 2008, who knows when it will become the most used Microsoft browser. If I am not mistaken, IE6 is still used by the majority of people, and look at how long ago IE7 was released.

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

Nice to hear this, but it will still be years before we can stop checking out web page in Internet Explorer 6 (don't know about IE7's rendering system, though). If IE8 is released in 2008, who knows when it will become the most used Microsoft browser. If I am not mistaken, IE6 is still used by the majority of people, and look at how long ago IE7 was released.

Even though I use Mozilla Firefox primarily, if I have to use Internet Explorer, I use IE7. IE6 is way too flawed to be allowed to run in my house network.

xboxrulz

[turbopowerdmaxsteel 0]

That is very good news for the Web designers. I myself have had to make some IE6 specific optimizations on my site. I am using a low quality version of Maxotek's logo for IE6. Since PNG transparency is not supported by IE6, I had to switch to transparent GIF.My site, which has been around since July 24, has had a decent number of visitors, 5344 to be precise. 52% of which have been from Internet Explorer browsers, 31% Firefox, 4% Opera & 13% belong to the rest.I always thought that IE7 was the most widely used one. But on careful verification, I found out that 54% of the Internet Explorer users were still sticking with IE6, 43% used IE7 and the rest used version 5 or less.

Edited December 25, 2007 by turbopowerdmaxsteel (see edit history)

[Miles 0]

I remember reading somewhere that microsoft did not wish to concentrate on passing the acid test. Seems they have changed their decision. Regardless, I shall not change to IE. Opera works far better for me.

[maxmaster 0]

I remember reading somewhere that microsoft did not wish to concentrate on passing the acid test. Seems they have changed their decision. Regardless, I shall not change to IE. Opera works far better for me.

In my opinion, the issues surrounding the different versions of IE may border more on hardware capabilities than on anything else; for instance IE7 will only run on winxp sp2 not later, and this requires a certain amount of system resources than what is required to comfortably run winxp sp1 or say home edition.
More system requirements means system upgrades (RAM, HDD space, Processor) and so on, which you will agree do not come cheap. So I just wish they will consider cost implications when releasing new programs n oses like win vista for instance and longhorn.
I believe more in functionality than in cosmetic value.

What do you think?

[toby 0]

I hope the betas don't install over IE7, or the MultipleIE thingy gets it quickly.It's odd news, the test itself is CSS hacks, not CSS super validity. It means good, but not perfect. I really hope they make it much easier for designers, something shorter than <!---[if IEn]> for each commonly used version.

Edited December 25, 2007 by toby (see edit history)

[Arbitrary 0]

This is infinitely quite interesting. However, I would like to add that the Acid 2 Test doesn't necessarily mean IE 8 is actually up to par in terms of standards. The Acid 2 test doesn't have all that is most important in terms of standards that IE should support, just little details that most browsers happen to miss. It is quite possible, I'm sure, to just work on getting Acid 2 correct and neglect the other standards, which is pointless. Now, if IE 8 were actually working toward achieving CSS 2 and at the same time it also passed the Acid 2 Test, then it deserves commendation since it then really has built a standards-compliant browser.

I'm of the opinion that the latter has probably happened, but I'll just taken into account all possibilities just in case.

In my opinion, the issues surrounding the different versions of IE may border more on hardware capabilities than on anything else; for instance IE7 will only run on winxp sp2 not later, and this requires a certain amount of system resources than what is required to comfortably run winxp sp1 or say home edition.More system requirements means system upgrades (RAM, HDD space, Processor) and so on, which you will agree do not come cheap. So I just wish they will consider cost implications when releasing new programs n oses like win vista for instance and longhorn.

Perhaps, but considering that hardware is improving all the time, that is probably the reason why Microsoft thinks it can release software that uses up more resources. Software is always capable of expanding the room that it is given to fill. In any case though, I agree with you that funtionality is more important than cosmetic value, so all the new "prettiness" of Vista, was, IMO, rather pointless.
Edited December 25, 2007 by Arbitrary (see edit history)

[takashiro1405241549 0]

I have heard the news before, too! Doesn't it sound great?? I am looking forward to the new version of Internet Explorer. But now I am using Tencent Traveller, not Internet Explorer. It is said that Internet Explorer will cause the computer slow down while running.

Edited December 26, 2007 by takashiro (see edit history)

[kgd2006 0]

I hope with the delivery of IE8 it will convert me back to using internet explorer as my browser of choice but it seems like that will not be likely because firefox, seems to offer much more to me as a web developer than any other browser out there. If IE8 does have a better user interface than IE7 than I might take into consideration of the new browser. Otherwise, I would just stick to using firefox whic I am already comfortable and see it as a reliable browser for designing my websites. I cannot and have not seen another browser that offers as much as firefox, and its hard to even fathom what the features of the other tools can offer to a web developer like firefox offers.

[FirefoxRocks 0]

I read about this on Download.com. It seems excellent that Microsoft is taking one step further in complying with standards. Unfortunately, Acid2 is designed to help browsers fix bugs and render incorrect pages by certain fallback restraints and isn't necessarily to test standards.I obviously use Firefox, but I do use Safari and Opera also. Flock for social networking sometimes, and SeaMonkey installed for the fastest speed in Gecko-based (Firefox addons drag me down a little). It is easy designing for standard-complaint browsers, once it works in Opera, it works in Firefox almost always. Designing for IE takes extra effort.One thing is that Windows XP was released in 2001, almost 7 years ago. The minimum design compatibility is IE6, although either many people aren't using Windows XP yet (Windows 9x/ME anyone?) or people aren't upgrading to IE7 for some reason. It is easier to design for IE7, much easier to trigger standards mode if you know what I mean.With IE8, it has to be compatible with Windows XP because the majority of people aren't in a rush to move towards Vista (expensive and high system requirements) and will stick with Windows XP for a long time.

[Saint_Michael 3]

Yeah I have to agree people are still using IE6 because of the fact that if you code in IE7 it comes out messed up in IE6, found out that myself on a website I build recently. Of course lets not forget as it was mention by another member on trap that firefox 3 RC past the Acid test, but now Beta 2 does not, which mean they made changes that messed with the rendering, So don't expect Firefox 3 to be passing that test on the final version, and as regards to IE8 be able to work with IE6 I highly doubt that will happen because if they have to dumb down IE8 it will me the ME of browsers, although IE7 holds that spot. Of course with the way standards are changing so all the major browsers can render the coding the same I doubt it won't take much for people to switch, but of course security will be the big issue for this browser once it goes beta because people will be waiting to tear it apart as with all window products.

[polarysekt 0]

Speed of application start is a huge factor in my determination, especially on my machines that run lower than 1ghz processors... Ideallly, the Native Microsoft Internet Explorer version 8 seems like it should fit more snugly in the platform since they have the same creator...as for another browser version to determine, this may help, as I, too have become increasingly annoyed by the subtle differences among browsers... the transparent .png's really set me back, because I was at the time determined to convert my graphic art into that format exclusively... Something about the .gif just doesn't sit well with me... but it's a battle of business, so of course the proprietary formats will come in hard...

[Jeigh1405241495 0]

So many things factor into these browser releases as has been already mentioned. To me personally, microsoft's attempts to secure IE after all the problems that were exposed in earlier versions just feels like them trying to catch up in my mind. Personally even if they make it more secure I've become accustomed to not using IE so they will need a HUGELY original or powerful inclusion in order to draw back my attention and loyalty.At least they are moving in the right direction for the mass computer populace that uses the default windows browser. By getting the average joe using a more secure browser hopefully it'll limit the ability for hazardous net infections to spread without care.

[vdesignlabs 0]

I believe a much easier solution short term which would be good for we web developers would be if everyone were to convert to Firefox. According to my statistics, its already above IE. So how do we convert the rest. If all sites were to just give this small heading "Site optimized for Firefox".......People who are still using IE are people who do not know about FF or its advantages. On seeing that small tag in all websites, they will understand that they are loosing out by being on IE, and they will naturally convert. Then just imagine the extremes to which web development can be taken. The time that we have to waste everyday to test compatibility with IE is just unforgivable...................................................................................