Internet Explorer 8 is in beta and we're able to improve features that we need. Last week I sent a short message to the Microsoft DPE here in Germany with some comments what I like more in Firefox 3 than in Internet Explorer. Well, there are a couple of great features like the star-it function to easily bookmark a Web page. Another great feature in Firefox 3 is that you are able to input any part of a visited URL or parts of the title that a visited page was using i.e. when you want to open Google Analytics you only have to enter "analy" and select the URL below, really clever.

Here are the questions for today's chat and the answers I got from Microsoft IE team:

1. Q: [24] Will there be any changes to the address bar? I would like to see the Vista explorer folder view to switch to different folders or actions (products/productA and easy switch to products/ which will display the overview, s. MVC Framework)
   A: This is an interesting request - I've never received this before. Thanks for the request
   
2. Q: [26] I would like to see personalized zones: i.e. I would enable all ActiveX for my private Web sites, for domains in Russia,China (TLD) I would like to disable Scripting and ActiveX. Or I would like to start IE with a set of security settings with an argument.
   A: This idea has been suggested on a number of occasions. There's a significant management challenge for this sort of feature though; it quickly becomes fairly unmanageable. Our focus has been on securing the web platform so you need not introduce any restrictions like this manually.
   
3. Q: [37] Another question are bookmarks: I often need to remember a Web site to read later. FF has added a star that you can simple click on (like Gmail star). What about an easier way to add bookmarks? Currently a dialog appears everytime to click on Ok.
   A: A fine suggestion. CTRL+D, ENTER is still pretty fast though. :-)
   
4. Q: [74] Ah, debugger, yes, I would like to see more details on error messages, sometimes we get "error in line 0". I would be happy to see some lines before/after the line which throws the exception. This should be available in IE (not additonal debugger)
   A: yes, this is something we've heard from customers and are looking into.

What do you think? Which feature are you missing most?

The full transcript of the chat will be available here in the next days.

5 Comments

• pbz said Thursday, July 17, 2008 11:40:33 PM

  "A fine suggestion. CTRL+D, ENTER is still pretty fast though. :-)" -- that just shows he or she doesn't get it, not funny, not funny at all... :D

• André said Friday, July 18, 2008 5:04:15 AM

  +1 for Q26: I talked to you already and you talked about the Fiddler script, yeah, that is what would be perfect.

• JoG said Friday, July 18, 2008 8:13:27 AM

  Hi Michael, I didn't had time to attend the chat but really like your idea on how to control security (or option) settings. I'm a web developer and know a lot of people that would love to have something like this. The zones in IE are very restrictive, and a script would enable all professional users to create rules.

• Marc Vernell said Friday, July 18, 2008 8:15:07 AM

  Great idea to have a address bar like Vista!!!

• C.H. said Sunday, July 20, 2008 5:37:08 AM

  Michael: I really would like to see an example of "scripting" for Internet Zones. Can you show me?