IE 8 beta 1 test build coming soon, Should Microsoft do an IE 8 ‘Lite’?

[dhilipkumar]

Would Microsoft be smart to try to head off Google's Chrome before it can gain a foothold by rolling out a smaller, faster, lighter version of Internet Explorer?

I've been dabbling with both Internet Explorer (IE) 8 Beta 2 and the Google Chrome beta over the past couple of weeks. I've fallen into the following usage pattern: IE 8 is my go-to browser for everyday use. But when I need to get to check a Web site quickly, I use Chrome.

I realize there's been a lot of back-and-forth over whether Chrome is really substantially faster than IE 8. I've seen folks weigh in on all sides. But on my old trusty ThinkPad X60 running XP SP2, Chrome is noticeably faster — in both loading and taking me to sites.

The IE 8 team is marching toward a November release-to-Web date, based on the latest info I have. I wondered whether the surprise introduction of Chrome by Google might have derailed the schedule. At the very least, I thought Chrome's speed, size and simpler/faster installation experience might have  given the IE 8 team pause.

So I asked the IE folks whether Chrome had them thinking about making changes, if not some kind of "IE Lite." The answer, delivered back to me by a Microsoft spokeswoman, was a definite no.

IE 8 beta 1 coming soon:

A number of Microsoft enthusiasts this week received invitations to a "limited technical beta program" for Internet Explorer (IE) 8 Beta 1.

According to the invitation, Microsoft is planning to make IE 8 Beta 1 available to the general public, as well. But before that happens, an invitation-only tet program will be conducted. The invitation describes IE 8 Beta 1 being focused on developers.

(ActiveWin is running the full text of the note Microsoft sent to some IE 8 beta invitees this past week.)

Microsoft officials have said they plan to show off IE 8 at Microsoft's Mix '08 conference in early March in Las Vegas. Officials also have said they are planning to add a developer-selectable "super-standards" mode to IE 8 that would enable the browser to qualify as more standards-compliant.

Microsoft still has not offered a final-delivery target date for IE 8.  Microsoft released IE 7 in 2006. Microsoft officials have said they are shooting to deliver more frequent, regular builds of IE.