Microsoft has released Internet Explorer 8 Multilingual User Interface (MUI) packs for Windows XP SP3, and Windows Server 2003 SP2.
The packs are available in a wide range of languages, including Arabic, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Hong Kong), French, German, Italian, Japanese and many more.
The packs can be downloaded using the links below:
Google is set to run an advertising campaign on television in the United States, in a bid to steal market share away from rival Microsof’s Internet Explorer.
Currently, Google Chrome holds almost 1.5% of the browser market share, while Internet Explorer is streaks ahead at 66%.
“We designed a Google TV Ads campaign which we hope will raise awareness of our browser, and also help us better understand how television can supplement our other online media campaigns,” said a post on Google’s corporate blog.
The first advertisements are expected to air over the weekend.
With Windows 7 Release Candidate just out the door, it seems the operating system is already raising complaints from Mozilla and Opera over the continued bundling of Internet Explorer.
“Our initial review suggests this is a blatant use of the Windows operating system to change the market dynamics of browser usage,” said Mozilla Chairperson, Mitchell Baker.
This is despite the fact that Internet Explorer 8 is now an optional component in Windows 7.
Microsoft still has a month to address the anti-competitive complaints bought against it by the European Union.
With the recent release of Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft is now seeking suggestions and feedback from users about what they would like to see in Internet Explorer 9.
“Hi Everyone!
We have added a new feedback form on Connect designed specifically to handle improvements for the next version of Internet Explorer. This includes not just feature requests, but all types of feedback including issues that currently exist in IE. Please continue to rate the submissions since we will look at the top rated reports first.Please be patient with the resolution of the reports you submit as we are in the research phase for the next version of IE. To shed some light on the status of your submissions, we’ll use a new field, Review Status, which will indicate whether we have reviewed the issue or not.
Please see the Connect site for more information.
The IE Team.”
Feedback can currently be left on the Connect website by anyone who was testing IE8.
Mozilla is looking at dropping support for Windows 2000 and versions of Windows XP without at least SP3 installed in early 2010.
The idea is hardly a surprise, as the extended support period offered by Microsoft for the operating systems is ending on 13th July 2010, and would see the requirements for Gecko 1.9.2 raised – Firefox’s rendering engine.
Firefox 3.5 (aka 3.1) are built using Gecko 1.9.1, so the change will not affect users on current or next version of Firefox.
Full discussion on the issue can be read on the mozilla.dev.planning newsgroup.
Microsoft has confirmed that it has received a one-week extension from EU antitrust regulators to respond to charges stemming to anti-competitive behaviour.
The complaint is for Microsoft bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, hence discouraging competition in the browser market.
At this point it should be noted that with early builds of Windows 7, Internet Explorer can be removed from the system.
If Microsoft loose, the company may be forced to offer multiple browsers with new copies of Windows.
Microsoft have till April 28 to respond to the Commission’s statement of objections.
New Windows 7 betas show that Internet Explorer 8 is an optional install, a move which should keep the EU and Opera happy.
To uninstall Internet Explorer from Windows 7 follow these steps:
Google has joined the European Union (EU) case against Microsoft as a 3rd party.
“This is because Internet Explorer is tied to Microsoft’s dominant computer operating system, giving it an unfair advantage over other browsers. Compare this to the mobile market, where Microsoft cannot tie Internet Explorer to a dominant operating system, and its browser therefore has a much lower usage” explains Google’s Sundar Pichai.
The case against Microsoft is good, and will take many months to be heard.
Internet Explorer 8 RTM
Microsoft has finished Internet Explorer 8, with the release to manufacturing (RTM) build expected to hit OEM’s, TechNet, MSDN and Connect in the next few days.
The scoop comes from Russian publication Wzor, with the final build being built on February 21st. This means that any remaining bugs and issues have been fixed.
The final build number is 8.0.6001.18691, with release date for the wider community not expected for a few more weeks.
Microsoft is yet to announce an official release date.
Opera Software is set to launch a massive advertising campaign designed to promote Opera Mobile products.
Opera’s Software SVP Rod Hamlin noted that “Over our history, we’ve spent zero [on advertising], so it’s a huge shift”.
On top of this, Opera has a billboard up near Microsoft’s Redmond campus reading “Be a Real Internet explorer? Opera.com.”
If anyone was doubting Opera’s place in the browser market, it seems like there is still hope left for the often forgotten browser.