Internet Explorer 7: Update

After recommending yesterday that people install IE7, comments that came flying through cyberspace included that I should be hit with a shoe and that, in addition to installing IE7, it might be nice to dip our hands in boiling oil.

Installing IE7 was recommended to the NEW NET crowd because tech enthusiasts should understand at least some of the things that can occur when installing Microsoft's latest web browser. Reasons include:

1. IE7 will be pushed to all Win XP SP2 users who have Windows auto-updates turned on.
2. NEW NET participants likely have friends and relatives who turn to them for help. Telling those who need help that you haven't worked with IE7 or its installation doesn't help out those friends and relatives.
3. Bringing tales of IE7 installation problems to NEW NET and having people help solve the problem would make for a lively NEW NET meeting!
4. In the first item on the NEW NET issues list, the comment was made that the IE7 install should not be done on a person's main machine. Other cautions were also pointed out. If a NEW NET tech enthusiast had concerns after reading those cautions or if they only have one Windows computer, they would be correct to not install IE7 for a couple months; it is hoped they possess the requisite amount of savvy to make the decision that's right for them.

Having said that, an 18 Oct 2007 post on one website has a number of suggestions for people who are installing IE7. One interesting suggestion was that if you have Zone Alarm 6.5, you should uninstall it before installing IE7. See the above 18 Oct 2006 post for details related to that.

Now...let's fondue that shoe in a pot of boiling oil...

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