Features removed in transition from IE8 to IE9

[nsane.forums]

Neowin member, blogger and Microsoft Connect tester "tuxplorer" has posted an extensive list of features that have been removed from the transition from IE8 to 9 on his blog, and despite reporting these issues to Microsoft, he felt that his concerns weren't addressed.

IE9 has received praise for its standards compliance, something the IE Team made a commitment to vastly improving with a series of developer previews geared especially toward that purpose, also when opening the Release Candidate users are invited to test these at a specially developed website.

So is it all roses? Are there people out there that agree with the following points raised by what seems to be a minority at this point. Let us know your thoughts!

While Internet Explorer 9 represents significant improvements to the Trident rendering engine and the Javascript engine, certain user interface elements and some functionality that are present in Internet Explorer 8 are no longer present in Internet Explorer 9. The following is a list of such features that have been removed in IE9:

• Internet Explorer 9 setup cannot be sequenced using Microsoft App-V.
• Tabs from the previous session (after IE is closed and opened again) can no longer be opened selectively. Only tabs from current session which were recently closed can be selectively opened or the entire last session has to be opened.
• The dedicated search box has been removed. Searches can be performed from the address bar as was already possible in all previous IE releases. Because of the removal of the search box, users have to repeatedly type the same search terms if they want to search using a different search provider. Textual descriptions for search providers are no longer shown except in a tooltip when hovered over.
• Tab list menu button has been removed. (Accessible using Ctrl+Shift+Q)
• The page title is no longer shown in the browser's title bar.
• Each download does not get its own button on the taskbar showing the progress of individual downloads. All downloads are grouped without user preference in a single download manager button.
• The progress bar when loading pages and 'Done' message after page loading is complete have been removed from the status bar.
• All functionality from the status bar except zoom button and showing hyperlink upon mouse hover has been removed. The status bar in Internet Explorer 8 showed security zone info, Protected Mode status, SmartScreen information, certificates info, addon manager, pop-up blocker, privacy policy/report and InPrivate Filtering status.
• The ability to freely move browser elements in unlocked state has been removed. The menu bar, favorites bar and command bar could be moved in Internet Explorer 8.
• Large icons cannot be used on the command bar. • Completed MB and the progress bar have been removed when downloading.
• The Notification Bar replaces the Information Bar which appeared above the page content. The Notification Bar overlaps a certain part of the page and requires the user to close it to see underlying parts of the page.
• Internet Explorer can no longer be set to notify download completion with only a sound. Every download completion shows a visual notification on top of the page which has to be closed.
• When clearing browsing history from within the browser, there is no progress bar or any sort of indication. Instead, a visual notification is shown on the notification bar which has to be closed by the user to see underlying page content.
• Save As is no longer the default option when downloading files. Instead Save is the now the default option which always saves to the Downloads folder.
• The about:tabs page cannot have the status bar enabled. Recently closed tabs from the current or previous session no longer show the URL below.
• The following configurable options have been removed without explanation:
  • Reset text size to medium while zooming.
  • Force offscreen compositing even under Terminal Server.
  • Enable page transitions.
  • Always use ClearType for HTML.
  • Smart image dithering.
  • Print background colors and images.
  • Do not submit unknown addresses to your auto search provider and Just display the results in the main window.
  • Security Zone settings: Automating prompting for file downloads.
  • Security Zone settings: Open files based on content, not file extension.

Internet Explorer 9 feels like it suffers from Chrome-envy. The IE team probably didn't confident about standing their ground with IE8's helpful and customizable UI.

View: Original Article

[DKT27]

In addition to that. IE9 RC is getting very negative user reviews...

[Smoore]

In addition to that. IE9 RC is getting very negative user reviews...

Your just saying that cause it's true!

[Rock Lee]

So much for resurgence -_-

[HX1]

• Tabs from the previous session (after IE is closed and opened again) can no longer be opened selectively. Only tabs from current session which were recently closed can be selectively opened or the entire last session has to be opened.
  

The only time I was even able to do this was with the IE7Pro addon...

• The dedicated search box has been removed. Searches can be performed from the address bar as was already possible in all previous IE releases. Because of the removal of the search box, users have to repeatedly type the same search terms if they want to search using a different search provider. Textual descriptions for search providers are no longer shown except in a tooltip when hovered over.
  

This is possible if you add your search engine.. simply have to grasp the change.. I like to minimalist appearance better.. I am sure an addon will come along to put it back in.. or maybe they should just add a thousand toolbars instead.. Like 9 out of 10 users I have run across that use it... ( completely making th program useless )

• Tab list menu button has been removed. (Accessible using Ctrl+Shift+Q)
  

----Okay you know what I don't have the time to show why each one f these complaints are BS.. but IMO... I think that people should grasp the change like I stated above and move forward with a better version of IE9.. Each one of those elements mentioned above are slight difference in which most of them are not required.. for proper browser function.. and some can even be replaced by addons.. and managed more effectively..

Streamlining the browsers design and function with unobtrusive and easily removed notifications is a great idea.. it keeps the UI clean, maximizes the viewable area.. and still retain all known Main Menu options by pressing the Alt key... To me to be honest I feel that the above is more whining to get a company to cater to one or a maybe a few people individual needs... I like it and I hope it continues to go in that direction.. When compared to other versions.. it has finally made a change in the UI and how the browser is used.. and is bringing in a few features which have been desired for quite some time by any savvy user of the browser.. I got tired of the same reminiscent appearance of IE6 mirrored from version to version.. it needs an upgrade and a new perspective on what the program stands for and how it represents itself..

All of that being said... you have to realize that all of this comes from someone who obviously sets around and obsesses about IE.. without realizing that addons can be made and added to the browser to extend it.. completely ignorant to the fact.. and some very basic elements which still do exist but have simple change to them.. to go backward in its development and implement old methodology would again set the browser back... and continue the cycle.. this cycle is what needs to be broken.. grasp the change.. is all I have to say... Allow it to be better... The only ideas and views I would accept on that level would be something that would greatly improve its function and and how it executes it tasks... something that would a ground breaking stride forward .. even for Microsoft..

I mean take FF for example.. and Chrome...even Opera... changes fro version to version ... its the same thing.. Why tell one company they cannot.. or still be bleeding out over old ideas.. and not efficiency and newer methods.. It operates differently.. I mean you take something that operates differently and try to state it doesn't do it at all.. and I would say there would be more of a problem... an its not the program...

[DKT27]

Good point heath28m. :)

About the negative reviews. I'm checking all the sites that I normally do, about 8-10 of the best ones around, some are calling it more worse than AOL's browser (I don't know anything about it). About 70% of users testing IE9 are giving negative reviews about it. This also counts IE lovers.

Me, well, I am not gonna say anything about. I'll only test the final. There was a time that I used to hate FF, well, rather not comfortable with it. And I was a IE liker, not fan, but liked it. But IE7/IE8 made me sick and then I saw the Firefox world. IE has done a lot to come back. But history says that you can't trust M$ so fast in what they claim or do...

[shought]

This sounds more like 'IE9 doesn't please at all' instead of 'IE9 doesn't please all' :P

[Tunerz]

Ahh, tuxplorer, Neowin's change-hating troll. To think he would be given a dedicated post.

[toyo]

Hmm. In my opinion, IE9 is not thought to compete with other "dedicated" browsers, but they try hard to integrate it with the rest of Windows experience. Things will get better as time passes, Microsoft is never to be ignored. I'll still won't use it, Opera is very secure on the top, I only feel comfortable with it.

[Icey]

Honestly, I feel that a lot of what he had to say were just scrutinizing IE9. There's a lot of removed features on that list that were only done to compete with modern browsers. Removing the dedicated search bar, no tab list menu, lack of a browser's title bar, etc. were all not included in Chrome and nobody really made a big deal about it.

I think it's really being unfair to IE9 to judge from posts like these by people opposing change. But personally, I've tried the RC version out, and it does feel faster and more responsive than Chrome, but it will take a little bit more getting used to.

[portage]

I tried IE 9 on VM and it don't see anything tantalizing about it... chrome is better.

[just1acc]

Internet Explorer 9 setup cannot be sequenced using Microsoft App-V.

Never Needed.

Tabs from the previous session (after IE is closed and opened again) can no longer be opened selectively. Only tabs from current session which were recently closed can be selectively opened or the entire last session has to be opened.

May be its my lack of knowledge, But I can't do this without add-ons / extensions.

The dedicated search box has been removed. Searches can be performed from the address bar as was already possible in all previous IE releases. Because of the removal of the search box, users have to repeatedly type the same search terms if they want to search using a different search provider. Textual descriptions for search providers are no longer shown except in a tooltip when hovered over.

Thats awesome, "tuxplorer" is just a troll.

Tab list menu button has been removed. (Accessible using Ctrl+Shift+Q)

The page title is no longer shown in the browser's title bar.

Each download does not get its own button on the taskbar showing the progress of individual downloads. All downloads are grouped without user preference in a single download manager button.

Those are called improvements. :)

The progress bar when loading pages and 'Done' message after page loading is complete have been removed from the status bar.

Is that a point? So whats going on in Firefox 4 or in Chrome. Progress bar is being backdated, why should M$ have to keep this?

Well, at first thought that I'll go for every point . But now, don't wanna waste my time in a hatred troll post. :angry:

PS. You may rename the thread as " Comparison b/w IE9 and previous IE Versions". <_<

PS2: Oh! My opinion -- Obviously Chrome is my first choice. But if I have to do some 2dary surfing works, then I shall go for IE9 instead FF 3.6.13.

/thread

[DKT27]

Staff Note: Title edited. :)

[csmdew]

PPL are always talking about addons for browsers to use certain functions but if u need to add addons why not just build the functions into the browser. Links bar and tools menu should just be a standard part of the browser; my opinion. With just some mods ie 8 could be their best browser.