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Although the test isn't an official standard, it is regarded as a good indication of compliance with existing web standards, something which Microsoft has claimed is a priority in the upcoming version of its browser.

"With respect to standards and interoperability, the goal in developing Internet Explorer 8 is to support the right set of standards with excellent implementations and

"Microsoft is posting this information now because it has real working code checked-in and is confident about delivering it in the final product," says Hachamovitch, before announcing that a beta of IE8 can be expected in the first half of 2008.

Microsoft has been steadily losing market share to Firefox in recent years, and is attempting to win back users with IE8.

Rival Opera recently filed an anti-monopoly complaint against Microsoft with the EC, urging it to unbundle the browser from the operating system.