Today Microsoft’s Internet Explorer version eight (8) is released out of beta for public download.  The release is downloaded manually and will not initially install via the normal Windows Update process.  Smart move by Microsoft.

This release isn’t worth the effort for the moment.Internet Explorer version 8 is not compatible with Windows version 7.  On the other hand, Windows version 7 is still in beta and that makes the point mute.  It is a nerd argument mostly.

Now the biggest issue I have with IE 8 is this “compatibility mode.”  Most websites are optimized for Internet Explorer version 7.  This means that you as the user will be bugged and notified, depending how you configure IE 8, about “this website is running in compatibility mode.”  Although you can turn this feature off, it is the point that IE 8 is released in a mode that most websites aren’t configured to run in.  Whatever.   The other minor point is anytime something runs outside of the native mode (compatibility mode) will affect performance.  Slow.

There are other issues not worth mentioning as they are minor, but collectivy they add up to a bag of whatevers.  The bottom-line.  It isn’t worth the bandwith nor effort at this time.  Like all newly released programs, especially with Microsoft, it is best to wait a month or so.  New programs are notorious for having bugs, security issues, and miscellaneous issues.

Internet Explorer version 8 (not the release candidate) will be available to for download March 19,2009 at noon ET.