Internet Explorer 6 Beta released

 

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Posted on 27 Mar 2001 at 14:46

For those of you waiting for the next release of Microsoft's Internet browser, you can now download the public beta version.

Internet Explorer 6 is based on a set of core technologies in Windows XP and has been slightly tweaked with the XP operating system in mind. The application features integrated instant messaging, media playback and automatic picture resizing. IE6 also features enhanced privacy features and a fault collection agent that claims to identify problems that need to be fixed in future updates.

The image toolbar allows you to quickly save, e-mail and print pictures from any web page. The automatic image resizing feature means that if a graphic is too large to fit on a web page it will automatically resize it for you, which means the end of reaching for the scroll bar! But I can envisage web designers shaking their collective fist at Microsoft as their hard work is reduced to a series of postage stamps!

The integrated media bar lets you control the sound volume of any media streamed from a Web site. The new tool also can take charge of any music or video file without the need to open a separate window.

Another more controversial feature of the application is the fault collection agent, which kicks in whenever the new browser crashes. If such a problem occurs, IE6 makes a record of the data and sends it on to Microsoft for analysis. Civil liberty groups and individuals concerned with privacy will, no doubt, hold up this feature as Microsoft's attempt to monitor its users.

If you feel brave enough to upgrade your browser to this public beta, click over to the Microsoft IE public preview site here.

Author: Darren Lock